Bridesmaids

Bridesmaids doesn't quite encapsulate the general them of the movie. A better title would be Kristen Wiig, comic genius.

In line with The Wedding Singer, and Wedding Crashers, Bridesmaids is perhaps the best wedding comedy I have ever seen. Kristen Wiig writes and stars in this film about a Maid of Honor who feels like she is losing her best friend, and whose life is falling apart piece by piece. She hates her job at a jewelry store, since her bakery went out of business, and her love life is dysfunctional, thanks to a comedic side of Jon Hamm we haven't seen nearly often enough.

Filled with raunchy jokes, and sharp, yet often disgusting dialogue, Bridesmaids is The Hangover for women, but the content is spliced nicely between the romantic woman wedding porn generally reserved for romantic comedies, and the typical fart jokes that men love.

The ensemble cast is wonderful, with alums from SNL, the Office, Reno 911, and other sitcoms. No true movie star graces the screen, but that's what makes it work nicely. The highlight of the film has to be Megan, the Zack Galifinakis character of the group, played by Melissa McCarthy. Given hilarious dialogue, she lightens up the screen with her presence, and owns the "fat girl" role. Coincidentally, she is Jenny McCarthy's cousin. Fun little fact.

The film of course, belongs to Kristen Wiig, who is arguably the funniest woman in entertainment. This film is a wonderful rebound some of the lesser parts she has played, and finally puts her into the leading lady category. She is an attractive woman, to go with her savvy and sharp comedic timing and tongue. She'll be around for awhile, and I would expect that she will have more highs and lows in film, as so many SNL alumni do when making their initial transition, but she brings an energy to everything she does that is undeniable.

The film straddles pure comedy and romantic, which is clearly indicative of the creative minds, as well as the intended audience. It's a smart move, but one which also creates gaps in the fluidity of the film. It reminds me of some of the more cliche comedies of the 80's and 90's with its story arc of pity, comedy, romance.

However, there are a handful of scenes that are gut-busting funny. The uncomfortably long Maid of Honor speech at the engagement dinner, the airplane scene, and Wiig trying to get a State Trooper's attention by driving by him multiple times and in multiple ways.

The character development is one of the reasons why the film seems so long. It could have been trimmed by 20-30 minutes easily, but the viewer develops a sort of attachment to Wiig's character through the slow times of the film, causing the audience to truly empathize with her barrage of hits, and her resilience to overcome her adversity, as trivial as it may be.

It is a fun movie, plain and simple, and more well done for a comedy than anything in recent memory. I can't say enough about how well this cast was put together, and how naturally each played his or her role.

I would recommend this movie as a great comedy start for the summer season, it is truly a good time at the theatre, and there are some extended laugh out loud moments, so make sure you use the restroom before you sit down. 8/10.