Bride and prejudices
Annie (Kristen Wiig) violating almost every airline rule imaginable.
(Universal Pictures)
Bridesmaids
Running time: 120 minutes
MPAA rating: R (Some strong sexuality and language throughout)
On the Web
First, the good news about the raucous comedy "Bridesmaids."
I laughed. I laughed a lot, and so hard that I shook a couple of times.
And the bad news? As funny as it is, this "Hangover"-for-women is sloppy at times and overindulgent. Still, "Saturday Night Live" standout Kristen Wiig is so good that I'm ready to dub her "the new Lucille Ball."
Director Paul Feig, however, apparently doesn't know how to trim a scene down to its golden comic core. I'm guessing Feig, creator of TV's "Freaks and Geeks" who has been working in TV lately, probably eats bananas peel and all.
"Bridesmaids" is, however, very, very hilarious much of the time. And it proves women can be just as raunchy as men when it comes to bottom-feeder dark comedy.
Wiig teams with two close friends. The modern female genius of goofball comedy (Come on, did you see her in "Paul"?) co-wrote "Bridesmaids" with former Groundlings co-member Annie Mumolo. In front of the camera, Wiig joins forces with Maya Rudolph, the former "Saturday Night Live" cast member.
Wiig takes on the role of downtrodden jewelry store clerk Annie, who might as well be called "second-hand Rose." Her dream -- to own a bakery in Milwaukee -- fell victim to the lousy economy.
Annie sleeps with a jerk named Ted ("Mad Men's" Jon Hamm) she doesn't even like and -- when she's really down in the dumps -- gets in a shouting match with a teenage girl who wants "Best friends forever" engraved on a locket.
Much of "Bridesmaids" involves a series of set pieces, which generally work but may remind audience members of extended sitcom or "Saturday Night Live" sketches.
Wiig is so good, though, that it matters little. What the writers and Feig do right is allow Annie to suffer through angst that many of us snacking in the dark can identify with. She has money problems, for one thing, and drives an old clunker car that may or may not start.
That would be funny enough by itself. But when Annie's asked to be her best friend Lillian's (Rudolph) maid of honor, she must somehow attend high society way beyond her means -- an expensive dress, parties at the country club and such.
Anyone who's ever been forced to drop off a beat-up old car for valet parking in a line of Mercedes and other ritzy rides will appreciate Annie's dilemma.
"Bridesmaids" is boiling over with humor like that, and much of it scores.
It also helps that Wiig is surrounded by very solid support. Rudolph is always terrific and she is here. So is the late Jill Clayburgh in her final film role. Clayburgh plays Annie's mom.
Rose Byrne ("Insidious") does some interesting things with Helen, the high society bridesmaid trying to horn in on the longtime friendship between Annie and Lillian. And Melissa McCarthy, co-star of the TV sitcom "Mike & Molly," might just have you rolling in the aisles as Megan, a woman of size who has a heart of gold and a suggestion for the bridal shower theme: "Fight Club."
"Bridesmaids" ultimately, though, is Wiig's show. With a little editing help, it could have earned extrememly high marks as brilliant lowbrow.
Still, I love Lucy. I mean Kristen.
I laughed. I laughed a lot, and so hard that I shook a couple of times.
And the bad news? As funny as it is, this "Hangover"-for-women is sloppy at times and overindulgent. Still, "Saturday Night Live" standout Kristen Wiig is so good that I'm ready to dub her "the new Lucille Ball."
Director Paul Feig, however, apparently doesn't know how to trim a scene down to its golden comic core. I'm guessing Feig, creator of TV's "Freaks and Geeks" who has been working in TV lately, probably eats bananas peel and all.
"Bridesmaids" is, however, very, very hilarious much of the time. And it proves women can be just as raunchy as men when it comes to bottom-feeder dark comedy.
Wiig teams with two close friends. The modern female genius of goofball comedy (Come on, did you see her in "Paul"?) co-wrote "Bridesmaids" with former Groundlings co-member Annie Mumolo. In front of the camera, Wiig joins forces with Maya Rudolph, the former "Saturday Night Live" cast member.
Wiig takes on the role of downtrodden jewelry store clerk Annie, who might as well be called "second-hand Rose." Her dream -- to own a bakery in Milwaukee -- fell victim to the lousy economy.
Annie sleeps with a jerk named Ted ("Mad Men's" Jon Hamm) she doesn't even like and -- when she's really down in the dumps -- gets in a shouting match with a teenage girl who wants "Best friends forever" engraved on a locket.
Much of "Bridesmaids" involves a series of set pieces, which generally work but may remind audience members of extended sitcom or "Saturday Night Live" sketches.
Wiig is so good, though, that it matters little. What the writers and Feig do right is allow Annie to suffer through angst that many of us snacking in the dark can identify with. She has money problems, for one thing, and drives an old clunker car that may or may not start.
That would be funny enough by itself. But when Annie's asked to be her best friend Lillian's (Rudolph) maid of honor, she must somehow attend high society way beyond her means -- an expensive dress, parties at the country club and such.
Anyone who's ever been forced to drop off a beat-up old car for valet parking in a line of Mercedes and other ritzy rides will appreciate Annie's dilemma.
"Bridesmaids" is boiling over with humor like that, and much of it scores.
It also helps that Wiig is surrounded by very solid support. Rudolph is always terrific and she is here. So is the late Jill Clayburgh in her final film role. Clayburgh plays Annie's mom.
Rose Byrne ("Insidious") does some interesting things with Helen, the high society bridesmaid trying to horn in on the longtime friendship between Annie and Lillian. And Melissa McCarthy, co-star of the TV sitcom "Mike & Molly," might just have you rolling in the aisles as Megan, a woman of size who has a heart of gold and a suggestion for the bridal shower theme: "Fight Club."
"Bridesmaids" ultimately, though, is Wiig's show. With a little editing help, it could have earned extrememly high marks as brilliant lowbrow.
Still, I love Lucy. I mean Kristen.
