2011.125 Minutes. Rated R.
“I’ve seen better tennis playing in a tampon commercial.”
Bridesmaids is a hilarious account of one woman’s fall from grace and her legitimate shot at regaining her form through a circle of dedicated friends and an unlikely romance. Annie Walker (Kristen Wiig) is forced to close her bakery after a tough economic turn. Forced to live with a male roommate and his sister who is “visiting” from England, Annie takes a job at a jewelry store. Lamenting her pathetic life, she discovers her best friend, Lillian (Maya Rudolph) is engaged.
Bridesmaids – Universal Pictures
As Lillian’s best friend, Annie begins planning the magical wedding. Annie soon takes a back seat to Lillian’s newfound friend, Helen (Rose Byrne). Helen, a venomous perfectionist, assumes the role of maid of honor and best friend, despite only knowing Lillian for about a year. Helen’s money and style creates a conflict for Annie, who must now compete for Lillian’s attention, broke and struggling to define her career and her life. Things can only get better from here, right?
Annie is pulled over by a cop for faulty tail lights. Rhodes (Chris O’Dowd) turns out to be merciful, waiving her ticket after recognizing her as the former owner of his favorite bakery under the promise that she will have the lights fixed as soon as possible. Rhodes is the perfect antidote to the tangled relationships unfolding around the wedding. His personality and humor offer hope in the unfolding angst that Annie perpetuates. After all, it is Rhodes who tries to persuade Annie to revive her once-lively baking career. Her muffins, he admits, were amazing.
Annie loses her job at the jewelry store and is suddenly kicked out of her apartment. Forced to move in with her mother, she must also take a back seat to Helen as the wedding plans heat up. On a flight to Las Vegas to hold a bachelorette party, Helen gives Annie some medication to cope with her fear of flying. The party never happens and Annie is forced to make amends by offering an olive branch of sorts in reaching out to the dispirited circle. A series of events and wrong turns, despite her best efforts, causes Annie to fall further from grace, almost permanently. A pre-wedding party results in a bona fide personality explosion. Annie calls Lillian out in front of hundreds of guests for using Helen as a conduit to fantasy wedding of luxury. As Annie asks, “How many women buy another woman a trip to Paris?” A tirade laced with obscenities sets the stage for a breakdown of magnanimous proportions.
The crisis in friendship leads Annie to separate from the budding courtship with Rhodes. A dispirited Annie rejects the advances of the charming officer, as she cannot recoup from her emotional distrust and loss. At the officer’s suggestion, Annie has begun baking again and trying to get her life back on course. A series of apologies advanced toward Rhodes go unanswered. What appears to be a film on the fast-track to disappointment and disaster has all the makings for a triumph. Will Annie and Rhodes re-unite? Will the long standing friendship between Annie and Lillian work out? Only time will tell.
Our patience at what appears to be a neurotic film turns out to be a charming romantic comedy that is sure to delight even the most rigid critic. Kristen Wiig is delightful and spirited in her acting and complements an always-funny Maya Rudolph. Add in the cast of characters and a happy ending, and I promise that this film will leave you ticklish. We all recognize the difficulties in the continuous saga of our own relationships. The place for trust in kinship is anyone’s guess. But we can only take a leap of faith. This movie is not a leap of faith, but a surefire comedic injection. Give it a try. It is best to view with a circle of friends. Trust me.
