On a lazy Sunday with little else out that seemed worthy I decided to give Bridesmaids a shot. Why the reluctance? Well, first of all, I think the star, Kristen Wig is cute but I never found her all that funny on Saturday Night Live.
They also tried the bait-and-switch approach I despise by suggesting this movie came from the same people that did several other Judd Apatow hits but it’s not from Apatow.
Lastly, it seemed very much like a major chick-flick along the lines of Sex And The City. It’s pretty hard for most guys to get excited about all the politics involved in pre-wedding planning between the bride and her wedding party. For me the combination of all of that takes some acceptance on my part that I wasn’t easily giving.
The one thing I noticed right off the bat was, wow, Kristen Wig is even hotter than I thought. She’s in fantastic shape and at nearly 40 it’s even more impressive. Plus she fits this role entirely. She was able to convey every facet of the character with ease.
As it went on it was clear that this was a chick-flick but not one a guy can’t get into. However, its biggest problem is that, as a comedy, it’s funny but not hilarious. Its got some really nice small laughs but no guffaws. Many of the more physical jokes are handled adroitly by Melissa McCarthy who seems destined for bigger roles. However, her type of humor is often a challenge to keep fresh for more than a short period so I’d recommend she make the most of it while she can. This film should go a long way towards helping that effort along.
I also felt that Ellie Kemper (of The Office) does a nice job in a smaller role. She doesn’t get much to do but makes the most of it.
I was surprised to see Maya Rudolph here in a role where she barely had anything to do. Missed opportunity there—or was it? This film has sequel written all over it and based on the money it made I suspect that’s already well under consideration if not already a done deal.
It’s not going to be on the level of any of the hinted-at Apatow movies but that doesn’t make it a bad film. In the end Bridesmaids is an excellent first effort from Wig and it’s certainly not a waste of time.
