Something Old, Something New

Review: Bridesmaids

Though we didn't know it then, The 40-Year-Old Virgin opened the floodgates of contemporary movie-making. So many movies have been birthed by the Judd Apatow factory since that I'm growing wearier with each new bromance.

But then there's Bridesmaids, a "bra-mance" (if I may) that sheds chick-flick conventions for a woman's look at a man's comedy. Star and co-writer Kristen Wiig has given us striking water-cooler talk: why can't women riff on vomit and toilet humor like the boys do? Dress shopping after a cheap Brazilian lunch, the ladies let out more than just tears, rivaling the raunchiest of any bromances.

But Wiig also makes quieter statements about love among friends. Scratch that--just between. Bridesmaids feels sincere because the women never play too nice. Wiig's character, Annie, finds herself trapped in an undesirable job, an apartment with creepy sibling roommates, and pleasure-free hookups with Mr. Wrong. Yet she's thrilled to play maid of honor to her best friend, Lillian (Maya Rudolph), until nouveau riche Helen (Rose Byrne) proceeds to steal the spotlight, the party planning, and Lillian's friendship away. We expect the tug-of-war between Annie and Helen to sabotage everything in their wake, as well as the inevitable reconciliation. Rose Byrne plays Helen with grace and an undiscovered knack for comedy: she doesn't see herself as the villain, and she's too clueless to be cold-blooded.

I'm not sold on Kristen Wiig's weird Saturday Night Live impersonations, but her portrayal of Annie is caricature-free. She's refreshing when she doesn't try too hard. Her comedy grows from her physicality: she's angular and wiry, squirming with tension that she releases in manic bursts. Some of the bridesmaids don't have much to play; the good lines go to Melissa McCarthy, who seemingly has no boundaries. Judd Apatow may have pushed too hard to integrate his signature style here--the cruder moments don't always feel authentic. The film may suit fans of Wedding Crashers or The Hangover, but beneath the laughs is a woman who's not afraid to be knocked down.