Bridesmaids

Bridesmaids

The three best words to describe Bridesmaids are, “Go see it.” This movie should be the benchmark of “chick flick.” Because “chick flick” connotes a movie that’s romantic- relationship driven, therefore unrealistic the term is demeaning. This movie is about the kind of friendships women have with each other. Honest, intense and sometimes adversarial. It’s too bad there aren’t more movies like it.

Annie’s (Kristen Wiig) best friend since childhood, Lillian (Maya Rudolph) is getting married and of course she will be her maid of honor. Planning your best friend’s bridal shower and bachelorette party is stressful and Annie’s finances are precarious but there’s another complication.

Bridesmaid Helen (Rose Byrne) has lots of time, loads of money and wants to cement her place in Lillian’s life. Within minutes of Annie and Helen’s meeting the gauntlet is thrown down and their competition begins.

The ensuing events include a catastrophic dress fitting, a junket to Las Vegas that results in a circuitous route and a bridal shower that is a disaster of epic proportions. The situations are in turn funny, hilarious, entertaining and poignant. Annie’s description of how men ask for oral sex is worth the price of admission alone and there’s plenty more where that came from.

There is no nudity but the movie is rated R because of positions, literally, the characters find themselves in. The cast is pitch perfect. Film legend Jill Clayburgh appears as Annie’s mother and Melissa McCarthy is a force to be reckoned with.

At a glance it is tempting to assume Bridesmaids is a female version of The Hangover. It is not.

The characters, plot and situations are driven more by emotion than drunkenness. Odds are greater that you have competed to hold your place in a friend’s life than removing your own teeth.

It’s possible heterosexual men won’t enjoy the film (although Howard Stern seemed to like it) but it is a good first date movie choice.

Pay attention how not to ask for oral sex.