The ladies try to get a hangover, but fall short

Rating: 4/10 (15 May 2011)

While trying to walk the tightrope between raucous comedy and tender love story, "Bridesmaids" presents an almost exasperating movie-going experience.
Directed by Paul Feig (veteran helmer of several episodes of "The Office," "30 Rock" and "Nurse Jackie" television series) and written by SNL alum Kristen Wiig - who also stars - the film tries to be the distaff version of "The Hangover," but substitutes that picture's hilarious stupidity with a schmaltzy romcom theme.
Plot has lifelong best friends Annie (Wiig) and Lillian (Maya Rudolph, SNL) planning Lillian's wedding to a dullard. Chosen as the maid of honor, Annie - whose personal and professional life is already in shambles - completely falls apart under the stress.
Her situation is not helped by the presence of Helen (Rose Byrne, "28 Weeks Later," "Get Him To the Greek"), a rich snob who is trying to become Lillian's new BFF. Add to this an eclectic collection of bridesmaids, including Becca (Ellie Kemper, "The Office"), Rita (Wendy McLendon-Covey, "Reno: 911") and Megan (Melissa McCarthy, "The Backup Plan," "Mike and Molly" TV series) and the cast is set for some really funny situations.
The problem is, however, comedus interruptus. Just when we're on the brink of some gut-splitting laughs, the film veers off into unnecessary serious moments. The biggest of which involves a supposed trip to Las Vegas that - literally - goes nowhere. It would have been a great opportunity to have the girls let it all hang out, but all we get is some lame projectile vomit scenes and an explosive diarrhea sequence.
Meanwhile, the constantly beat-down Annie's (Annette Benning in "Running With Scissors" only WISHED she could be this depressing) life is spiraling out of control. She loses her job, is treated like dirt by her love interest (Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"), gets kicked out of her own apartment (by a pair of slobby Australian roommates) and is forced to live with her mother (the late Jill Clayburg).
She does meet a sweet Irish cop, Rhodes (Chris O'Dowd, "Gulliver's Travels," "Dinner For Schmucks"), though, but, of course, she tries to poison that relationship, as well. In fact, Wiig is all over the map here and seems to be trying to play every inmate character in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." Plus, she's not really very funny, despite being on screen over 90 percent of the time.
The only humorous character is Megan and that's probably because she plays a plus-size semi-lesbian nympho truck driver type. Annie, on the other hand, despite the movie's attempt to justify her violent mood swings, is still someone few people in real life would even want to get close to.
Certainly not the worst film for the "Girls Go Crazy" genre - it's light years ahead of the "Sex and the City" franchise, for example - but needs to focus on just what kind of movie it really wants to be.
At least after 20 years, however, Wilson Phillips still looks and sounds great