Yes, No, Maybe So: "Bridesmaids"
Sunday, February 6, 2011 at 11:00AM Serious Film's Michael C. here for this episode of Yes, No, Maybe So wherein we make a snap judgment on BRIDESMAIDS, Hollywood’s attempt to give female audiences a Hangover of their very own.
Women certainly have some balance coming to them. In road trip comedies they’re usually lucky to get the role of the humorless, castrating wife/girlfriend. If they’re not lucky they play the stripper, who in Vegas films stands a decent chance of ending up in a shallow grave in the desert.
Bridesmaids also represents star/co-writer Kristen Wiig’s stab at big screen stardom because she can’t go on forever being SNL’s last line of defense against total un-watchability, and God knows MacGruber didn’t do it for her. Simply put Wiig is appointed Maid of Honor by Maya Rudolph making her responsible for sending her friend off in style, which in this case entails rounding up her colorful band of bridesmaids to go to Vegas for a bachelorette party. ROAD TRIP!!!
The main draw here is clearly the cast, which is one big bag of “Yes!” I can’t spot a weak link. In addition to Wiig there is Rose Byrne, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, and The Office’s Ellie Kemper, who couldn’t be more adorable if she was manufactured by Hello Kitty. I’m especially pleased to see Reno 911’s stellar Wendi Mclendon Covey get such a high profile gig. Her reactions to Kemper’s “princess theme” and McCarthy’s “female fight club” ideas are the funniest part of the trailer. Another reason to be psyched: it is directed by Midas Touch TV director Paul Feig. His credits read like a roll call of the greatest shows of the last decade, Arrested Development, Freaks and Geeks, Mad Men, Parks and Rec, 30 Rock. I feel obligated to buy a ticket out of gratitude alone.
I have long-standing rule of avoiding movies that have trailers in which curse words are replaced by sound effects so that’s strike one there. On a more substantive note, the movie looks like it leans pretty heavily on broadly drawn types – the jaded one, the ditz, the butch one. Also, is it too much too ask that women get one movie that doesn’t center on a wedding? Seriously, if you went by Hollywood comedies you would think single women do nothing with their evenings but tip back glasses of white wine in order to stave off thoughts of suicide because all their friends are getting married to orthodontists and cranking out horrible children. I’m offended on your behalf, ladies.
Of course, there is a good chance Wiig is as annoyed as I am with the culture's wedding obsession and is dragging the material out in order to give it the send up it richly deserves. It’s so hard to tell with trailers. That fact that this one is a few notches shy of uproarious could be a sign that it showed only the most trailer-friendly, punched-by-Mike-Tyson type jokes instead of funnier character beats. It could also be a sign that the better jokes simply aren’t there. I’m pretty on the fence about this one.
Oh, wait…Is that Jon Hamm there at the end? Okay, I’m in. What can I say? I think he is a comic genius trapped in a Rock Hudson body. Poor guy. What say you? You would think this collection of talent would have to do something worth checking out, but then that's what I said before I sat through Date Night.
Bridesmaids, Kristen Wiig, Yes No Maybe So, weddings
Reader Comments (13)
This is most certainly NOT the feature film debut of Paul Feig, his first wide release film was the well-intentioned but lamentable Unaccompanied Minors.
TheSickness83- You are totally right. I missed that credit amongst all the great tv. Thanks, I'll correct it.
"Ellie Kemper, who couldn’t be more adorable if she was manufactured by Hello Kitty. "
HAHA. love it.
I love all these women -- well, i have some intermittent issues with Byrne -- but last time a potentially raucous female comedy liek this opened wasn't it called SPRING BREAK only it didn't acutlaly open for years and then it was enjoyable but only laugh-out loud funny a couple of times.
sigh. i'm on the fence too but totally pulling for WIIG who was so good in WHIP IT.
Yes: I loved Wiig in that Ricky Gervais movie about the dentist who saw dead people. And the cast does look great.
No: No more movies about women and weddings for me. EVER. I'm not spending my $ to encourage this. Think of something new.
Maybe so: Sorry, no. Is this the only way they could get their project made? That is so, so sad.
Not a fan of Wiig or weddings, but what a great supporting cast. I keep waiting for Rose Byrne's feature film career to take off, but she's always stuck in smaller character roles (28 Weeks Later, Sunshine, Get Him to the Greek) or as eye candy in duds (Knowing). I doubt this'll be the breakthrough she needs.
I'm horrified
Opening Day. I'm in.
"Spring Break"'s trailer also showed absolutely no promise. This one does.
I don't care for Rose Byrne, but she appears to have been put to good use here.
I'm keeping optimistic. I've already been looking forward to it. There is no sense in trying to lower my expectations.
And I love AC/DC. So, that certainly doesn't help.
Jon Hamm and Rock Hudson have more than body type in common.
I have no theatrical interest in this movie. Hopefully one day soon PTA will write for the mother of his children (they’re not married).
As the creator of one of my all-time favorite television series, Freaks and Geeks, Paul Feig has my eternal devotion. I'm trusting he'll be able to pull off the tone of this.
gah freaks and geeks is perfection.
what is it with one season shows and perfection (see also: My so called life)
maybe they're saving the jokes for the actual movie...?
This seems like a pretty solid "Not buying a ticket but if it comes on tv some night and no one I want to impress is around...hellz yeah." The last line in the trailer is a great delivery from The Butch One, though.
Rose Byrne is killer on "Damages." That's what she excels at. Comedy, not so much. But she was quite funny and silly in "Get Him to the Greek." Girl knows her way around slapsticky comedy and heavy drama, so props to her.
Love Kristen Wiig, so I'm in for "Bridemaids". That is unless it's "Bride Wars" part 2. Then I'll have to draw a limit. But honestly, if Tina Fey and Amy Poehler were in this, I'd watch it regardless of the reviews. So a yes from me!