Ticks like a clock

Rating: 10/10 (26 May 2011)

Movie critics are supposed to be the ultimate arbiters of cinematic taste. The stereotypical image of critic is one of a dead-eyed, cynical intellectual, looking down his nose at the mere trifles before him. This is the image I have to live up to: high-minded, snooty, and highfalutin. So, what can I do with something like Bridesmaids, a film so decidedly low class, brimming with fart jokes, innuendo, and other aberrations? Well, if the experience of seeing it proves anything, all I can do is laugh breathlessly and wonder when the barrage of laughter will stop. In the case of Bridesmaids, it never stops. Here is a movie you watch twice â€“ first because it's good, and then again to hear all the lines you missed because you were laughing breathlessly at the previous exchange.
The film begins with Annie (Kristen Wiig), a failed baker who is drifting aimlessly through her life. She's continuously late with her rent; she habitually hooks up with a man who treats her like an appliance, and (to make matters even worse) her best friend is about to get married. Bride-to-be Lillian (Maya Rudolph) enlists Annie as her maid of honor. The inevitable hi-jinks ensue as we meet the rest of the bridesmaids: repressed Rita, innocent Becca, perfectionist Helen, and the sturdy Megan. Take this rag-tag group, a churrascaria, and a posh bridal salon, and you'll get one of the most revolting, hysterical scenes in any comedy.
At its base, Bridesmaids is a comedy of embarrassment, rooted in the steady decline of Annie as she descends into jealousy. The script (written by Wiig and Annie Mumolo) is incredibly knowledgeable about the dynamics of female relationships, culling out every possible chuckle and guffaw. The film is Kristen Wiig's bed for comedy stardom, and she succeeds without reservation, effortlessly toggling between the comedic and dramatic notes. Yet to say the film belongs solely to Wiig does the rest of the cast and crew a major disservice. The ensemble is flawless, and the direction unobtrusive. Timing is everything in comedy, and Bridesmaids ticks like a clock.
I'll be shocked if there's a better mainstream comedy released this year. Is Bridesmaids derivative of The Hangover? Yes. But on a character to character level it surpasses that film, presenting likable, three- dimensional characters played by outstanding actresses. What makes Bridesmaids so refreshing is the fact that every one of its gross-out gags is rooted in the truth of central friendship between the main characters. High or low brow, that's worth celebrating.