Girls Just Want To Have Fun, Too

Rating: 7/10 (30 May 2011)

Throughout the years, gross-out comedies would revolve around groups of guys ("The 40-Year-Old Virgin,", "Wedding Crashers," "The Hangover" and now "The Hangover 2," which I have no intention on seeing since I didn't like the first "Hangover," "Hot Tub Time Machine," and "Dinner for Schmucks," from more recent years) or just one girl who is the object of desire of many guys ("There's Something About Mary"). But now, there is a twist. The girls are the protagonists of gross-out.
Raunchmeister Judd Apatow is the producer. Paul Feig is the director. They treated the ladies the same way men would get treated in gross out movies. The ladies would drink, cuss, tear each other apart, and would have so much fun doing all that.
"Saturday Night Live" alum Kristen Wiig is the star of the movie. She is Annie, a young woman whose life is on the rocks when her best childhood girlfriend Lillian (fellow SNL alum Maya Rudolph) asks her to be the maid of honor at her upcoming wedding. Her love life is not so lovely and she lost two jobs. She beds one man, but has the eye for a police officer who continually runs into her on the streets and everywhere else. Complications come when there are four other bridesmaids on the scene, and all of them duke it out.
Expectedly, the best work comes from heavyset actress Melissa McCarthy as the tough as nails Megan, the sister of the groom. There is always that principle where the least attractive actor/actress becomes the most attractive when they get the best and funniest lines, steals the show from everyone else, and no one else can be as funny or clever, not even the leads. Surely enough, the filmmakers are doing her a favor where beauty is only skin deep, and they are right. The other three "beautiful" bridesmaids are Rose Byrne as Helen, who becomes a fierce rival for Lillian as the matron of honor as she is the trophy wife of the groom's boss, Wendy McLendon-Covey as the tall blonde Rita, an aggressive foul-mouthed stepmother of equally foul-mouthed children, and Ellie Kemper as Becca, the most sensitive bridesmaid who is newly married and feels the sorriest for Annie because she is still single. Lesson to be learned: Never take your beauty for granted. You can be sexy because of your brain.
There are numerous gross out gags that pop up and keep you laughing out loud. But there is a lot of heart as well so we won't think it's just another rambunctious comedy. Due to Jill Clayburgh's recent death, her presence is the most bittersweet. She did have very funny lines as Annie's lustful mother, although she looked wan and weak. It was nice to have a funny comedy be her swan song for her distinguished and respectable career.
Have a great time and laugh. Bring all your friends to see "Bridemaids" and you'll be glad you did.