Bridesmaids Post-Release - Page 2

Saw it last night, found it to be the best film I've seen so far this year. Yes, it's funny as hell but it's that grim edge to it that really made me love it, precisely because it's not some really light and fluffy Hangover: Girl Edition like the trailer lead us all to expect. A lot of it hit far too close to home in many ways, much like High Fidelity did for me way back when, but that's not a bad thing at all.

Hmmm, want to write more but need to get my thoughts in order first. Plus, I need some croissants.

Took the wife to see this over the weekend.  Laughed my ass off.  Loved it.

It finally came out over here. I enjoyed it a lot. Not earth-shatteringly funny but very well written. As was expected, the broader parts got the biggest laughs but I appreciated the work the writers did with the characters. The fact that Wiig's character is in a mess of her own making, Byrne's character's desperation being evident early on, Rudolph's freakout also being hinted at early in the movie, were all signs that the "tropes" of the genre can come from the characters if the writers work at it. Not foisted upon them by the plot.

Bought it on Blu Ray.  Really fun movie, much like the 40 Year Old Virgin.... a film you can watch over and over again.

Special features aren't bad either, much more then I expected.

The deleted scene, featuring Paul Rudd as Dave was great.  Considering it's an Apatow produced film, I wonder if Paul Rudds "Dave" is the same Dave from the 40 Year Old Virgin?

This is exactly what I dislike about Wiig's characters. They are all grown adults who act like obnoxious 10 year olds.

Fixed:
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diva 

This is exactly what I dislike about every male comedians' characters in any movie. They are all grown adults who act like obnoxious 10 year olds.

Ha! Somehow I knew you'd respond. Wiig is your bat signal.

why do I have the urge to watch Billy Madison now?

Finally saw this. Doesn't benefit from the raised expectations, but there's definitely a natural, rambling vibe that makes this stand apart. Stopped laughing halfway through, and didn't find the various relationships resolving to be very compelling, but I still thought it was ok. 

The vomit/poop scene just writes a comedy check that the rest of the film doesn't have sufficient funds for.

Wrote this on Facebook but there was literally no joke in this movie that I found to be as funny as the weird, anaesthetized expression on Tim Heidecker's face.

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Originally Posted by Evi 

Wrote this on Facebook but there was literally no joke in this movie that I found to be as funny as the weird, anaesthetized expression on Tim Heidecker's face.

I interviewed him the day before I saw it and congratulated him on being in it. It was obvious he thought I was being a dick. When I saw it I knew why.

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Originally Posted by Micah Robinson 

The vomit/poop scene just writes a comedy check that the rest of the film doesn't have sufficient funds for.

This scene had me dying from laughter. Unfortunately, it was the only scene in the film that did.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Renn Brown 

I interviewed him the day before I saw it and congratulated him on being in it. It was obvious he thought I was being a dick. When I saw it I knew why.

I think it's safe to assume Heidecker treats everyone like they're being a huge dick. I say that as a massive fan of his work. 

I too found his wordless presence in the film as Maya Rudolph's husband (??) staggeringly strange and hilarious. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diva 

This scene had me dying from laughter. Unfortunately, it was the only scene in the film that did.

 

it was the best scene, but the caravan of puppies had me rolling as well.  

I'll concede that pretty much any time Megan was on screen, I had a huge grin. And yeah, the scene with all the puppies was great.

"I'm not talking figuratively, but literally, they threw firecrackers at my head"

I give the movie credit, it had me laughing at stuff I'd never thought I laugh at.  After the opening sex scene, the back and forth at the diner, talking about guys putting their dicks in women's faces, and her impression of what one looks like had me going as well. 

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Originally Posted by NickP 

"I'm not talking figuratively, but literally, they threw firecrackers at my head"

 

I give the movie credit, it had me laughing at stuff I'd never thought I laugh at.  After the opening sex scene, the back and forth at the diner, talking about guys putting their dicks in women's faces, and her impression of what one looks like had me going as well. 

I posted about this earlier in the thread, but part of my discontent with the movie is the lack of those kind of scenes. For a movie that's about best friends, there were very few scenes where we got to see Wiig and Rudolph just hang. When they do, its pretty great. I admit I just wanted to see a different movie. There are so few movies about women who genuinely like each other that I basically wanted a buddy film. Two hours of Wiig battling her insecurities by trying to outdo some other chick just doesn't strike me as interesting or funny. And even in movies like Happy Gilmore, Wedding Crashers, The Hangover, etc., the guys aren't fighting with themselves. They join forces to deal with someone or something else. Occasionally, the friends will have issues with each other, but it isn't the crux of the whole movie. We actually get to see them having a good time. There were zero good times in this film outside of the opening scene.

The part I felt uncomfortable watching, and fast forward through now, is the "one upping" at the Engagement Party.  I don't find it funny, it's pretty damn close to annoying.  McCarthy is the saving grace of the film, and the one reason I will watch the film in the future (minus the "Cock Baby" vandalism, lol).   The "scotch" incident on the plane was a complete dude for me, but it's mixed in with Megan trying to get the Air Marshall to admit he is one.  I thought the chemistry in that brief scene between the two was incredible, then I found out they are married in reality. 

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Originally Posted by NickP 

Megan trying to get the Air Marshall to admit he is one.  I thought the chemistry in that brief scene between the two was incredible, then I found out they are married in reality. 

I didn't know that!  Awesome!

I thought this was made. It was well acted (I greatly enjoyed Kristen Wigg's work). It was well written (it was emotionally affecting and also funnier than many comedies I see*). And I thought it was reasonably well directed. Unfortunately over all I found it to be kind of emotionally punishing, and it's not really a film I'd ever want to revisit. Despite the somewhat happy ending, it just was too grim to be a light hearted comedy. Just my take. It was definitely a triumph for Wigg though, and I hope it helps to redefine her career

*the line about Wigg's diary having been mistaken for 'a very sad, handwritten book' just cracked me up

I think it was a triumph for Melissa McCarthy... her character was the best part of the entire film.  When she was on, the movie was hitting on all cylinders... Wigg's character was depressing, shallow, and kind of pathetic.  

Oh, I did enjoy her British roommates as well.  "that looks really infected"

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickP 

I think it was a triumph for Melissa McCarthy... her character was the best part of the entire film.  When she was on, the movie was hitting on all cylinders... Wigg's character was depressing, shallow, and kind of pathetic.  

 

Oh, I did enjoy her British roommates as well.  "that looks really infected"

Melissa McCarthy was pretty good, I'll admit. She sold some very questionable lines and still managed to seem grounded and real, without tipping over into the absurd. I hope to see more from her in the future

I very much enjoyed Wigg. She was identifiable and human. If anything it rang false that she got a happy ending. Real life usually doesn't work that way. With that said, the over all story was, yes, very depressing

PS The reveal of the tattoo resulted in actual outloud laughter from me. It was a good moment

Wiig was just a pity party character.  Having a business that fails must suck, really really suck.  But she surrounded herself with terrible people afterwards, then took out all her frustration on the two people who were there for her, the cop, and her best friend.  And when I say frustration, she crossed the LINE.  Her outburst at the Bridal Shower was unforgivable in my opinion.  Not to mention, she did nothing to redeem herself in the end.  She just looked better when compared to Rose Byrne in the end, and that is why the friendship was mended.  

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickP 

Wiig was just a pity party character.  Having a business that fails must suck, really really suck.  But she surrounded herself with terrible people afterwards, then took out all her frustration on the two people who were there for her, the cop, and her best friend.  And when I say frustration, she crossed the LINE.  Her outburst at the Bridal Shower was unforgivable in my opinion.  Not to mention, she did nothing to redeem herself in the end.  She just looked better when compared to Rose Byrne in the end, and that is why the friendship was mended.  

Wow, I feel completely differently about it. The cop, trying to "fix" her by buying all that baking stuff without being asked, then acting superior when she doesn't fall all over herself with gratitude for this "favor"? It just pissed me off. I was actually angry she got with him in the end*. To be perfectly honest, I would have preferred for Jon Hamm to just get slightly nicer, to say "OK, I'll go to the wedding with you as your date". That would have been an ending I could believe in. Her "outburst" at the shower had me (figuratively speaking) on my feet and cheering. Someone needed to stand up to Helen, and her sickeningly ostentatious displays of wealth. As for her "best friend"? Forgive me, but I think she showed her true colors when she suddenly started treating Wigg like crap after she'd found a richer, more popular chum. I felt the friendship was 'mended' for the typically contrieved Hollywood reasons. Same with the cop. In real life, she'd never have returned his calls, and the friendship with Rudolf would be dead

I couldn't find the obligatory 'and they lived happily ever after' ending uplifting in any way. The movie still seemed depressing, and it's just that it got phony in it's final minutes

* I do enjoy that guy on IT Crowd, to be fair

Trying to "fix" her?  He bought the cooking stuff, because he thought it would be fun to cook with her, since he is good at it.  She goes from a guy, who doesn't want her to sleep over, let alone stay there for breakfast.  To a guy  thanking her for staying over, and going out of his way to make her feel comfortable.  He had no idea she had "issues" with cooking and was no way trying to "fix" her... that was her BS excuse she gave him, because she was "scared".  She even commented to herself on the drive home how stupid she was.  He wasn't expecting her to fall over him... that look he gave, was confusion, and concern.  I loved the fact that he kept to his guns, and said "fuck off" to the "I'm sorry" carrot cake.    

Her outbreak at the party was trashy as hell.  Her best friend, at first, was just bonding with Rose because that was her fiances boss's wife.  Her fiance was close with his boss, and it's only natural that they would do stuff together.  Wiig made her best friend closer to Byrnes character due to her insecurities.  And the outbreak at the party... I don't give a fuck how "upset" you are with someone else's gift, you don't ruin the bride's bridal shower, then trash the party. Just goes back to her immaturity and lack of class when dealing with any person, are problem she has in her life.  The best way to deal with a person like Byrne's character, is to let it play out on it's own.  Her friend would have saw how up her own ass she was.  But instead, Wiig starts a fight with 15 year old.... 

I agree though, i wish she ended up with Hamm, she didn't deserve the cop.  Nor to get her best friend back.  Living with her mom, and being an unemployed "fuck buddy #3" was what she earned in life.   

I'm not as hard on Wiig's character as you. It is clear that she was harboring some deep insecurities and was reacting to them in the most ridiculous ways possible. But the motivations for her actions were well established. One of the best scenes in the film IMO is Megan telling Wiig to snap out of it and stop pushing away people who actually care about her. It was one of the more real and honest scenes in the film. I do think Wiig's character has a realization about who she is and her self-sabotaging nature after that, and grows from that experience.

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Originally Posted by NickP 

 

I agree though, i wish she ended up with Hamm, she didn't deserve the cop.  Nor to get her best friend back.  Living with her mom, and being an unemployed "fuck buddy #3" was what she earned in life.   

Me, I'm a sucker for happy endings, but this made me actually laugh out loud.  Thumbs up!

Wilson Phillips were trying so hard at the end, and were so over the top, it was like an SNL sketch in itself.

Anyway, I agree the bathroom scene is really the only funny thing in the movie. That and everything with Melissa.

I don't know if it's common knowlege, but the guy that played the air marshall is Melissa's real life husband.

Finally got around to seeing this, and out of the three big R-rated comedies I saw from last year (this, Bad Teacher, and Horrible Bosses), this was probably the best (though Bosses is a close second for introducing me to Charlie Day's awesomeness, and finally giving some great material to Jennifer Aniston and Kevin Spacey again). Laundry list!:

-I've heard Wiig in a couple voice roles (Despicable Me, How To Train Your Dragon), but she really impressed me here on both a vocal AND physical level. I think my favorite scenes were easily the airplane (I actually loved that it went on so long, it really BUILT up to its comic intensity) and the speech at the shower, which I actually found more dramatic than funny. You can just see her mind snapping into place on "Are you fucking kidding me?"

-That said, Melissa McCarthy easily gives her a run for her money as the film's MVP, and I actually found their chemistry more interesting than that between Wiig and Rudolph. Don't get me wrong, their friend scenes were great together, but I kind of want a Wiig-McCarthy buddy movie now.

-Why was Jon Hamm uncredited in this? He was awesomely sleazy.

-Yeah, the marketing really misrepresented this. I did think it was a little odd how Rita and Becca kind of dropped out of the second half, but I suppose they're not really needed at that point.

-Terry Crews' cameo near the start was pretty funny as well.

-Blessedly, I was able to put my burning hatred of Tim and Eric aside to enjoy Tim's silence as Lillian's husband.

-I find it interesting that they didn't actually SHOW the "Colonial Woman" on the plane wing to drive home the Twilight Zone reference.

-Christ, Annie's Brit roommates were awful people.

-I would attend the shit out of a Pixar party.

Could it use a little tightening? Maybe, but this is definitely one of last year's funniest.