Before leaving to see “Bridesmaids,” I told the others in the office I was going to review a movie I was averse to watching. The trailers made the movie look like a female version of “The Hangover,” complete with vulgar jokes, gross out humor, and graphic sex. Plus, bits and pieces of the ads made me think most of the dialogue was improvised, and that it was really dumb.
So, imagine my surprise when, about halfway through “Bridesmaids,” I realized I was watching a good movie. There are laughs that have nothing to do with a bodily function, a nicely drawn dramatic arc for the central character, and scenes that provide insight into the female psyche.
There’s plenty of the other stuff, too. The movie opens with a raucous sex scene that doesn’t contain any nudity, but is lewd enough to weed out audience members who thought they were going to see a lighthearted romantic comedy (including the elderly couple that sat in front of me and made quick use of the exit).
There’s also a disgusting scene in which the bride and her female entourage experience the unfortunate effects of having eaten bad Chinese food. Be thankful I’m at a loss to describe what takes place. Just know you’ll never be able to look at a wedding dress boutique without your memory of the scene springing to mind.
What’s more, some of the dialogue between the women in “Bridesmaids” makes the sexually charged chitchat between Carrie Bradshaw and her pals in “Sex in the City” seem fit for family viewing in comparison.
In other words, like Secret deodorant, “Bridesmaids” is strong enough for a man, but made for a woman.
The movie opens with us seeing Annie in rapid descent from whatever heights she had obtained up to that point. Her bakery has closed, she’s renting a gloomy little room in someone else’s apartment, and she’s sleeping with the biggest jerk in town. “Saturday Night Live” cast member Kristen Wiig, who co-wrote the movie, makes us realize how desperate Annie is for any thread of hope when she practically begs the guy, who uses her for just one thing, to ask her to be his girlfriend.
The scene involving the bad Chinese food didn’t make me want to wretch as much as that one did.
There is one shining point of light in Annie’s life: her BFF, Lillian. Like Rachel and Darcy in “Something Borrowed,” Annie and Lillian have been friends since they were kids. Unlike “Something Borrowed,” which uses a slide show at a birthday party to explain Rachel and Darcy’s bond, “Bridesmaids” director Paul Feig allows his actresses to reveal their friendship through the natural, uninhibited way they talk with each other. In one early scene, the two talk about Annie’s latest hook-up with The Jerk in the way only two women completely familiar and at ease with each other could.
Lillian tosses a wrench into the already clanky machinery of Annie’s life when she gets engaged and reveals the existence of another close friend: the rich and perfect Helen.
The new woman in Lillian’s life sets a materialistic standard to which Annie is unable to rise, giving the creators of “Bridesmaids” an opportunity to suggest true friends love you in spite of who you are.
Feig and Wiig make the most of the competition between Annie and Helen for Lillian’s approval in a scene in which they try to outdo each other’s engagement party toast. In her speech, Helen says she and Lillian are so close, they can exchange a glace and know what the other one is thinking without saying a word. Annie then grabs the microphone and gives her friend a long, hard, awkward look.
“Bridesmaids” is so good, I almost missed the moment near the end of the movie when Annie and Lillian do exchange a heartfelt glance. Although no words pass between them, this column could be filled with what their expressions say.
If “Bridesmaids” makes a point, it’s that life can turn on a dime. The best part of the movie is the slow swing toward a better life Helen experiences when she meets Rhodes, a cop that pulls her over because her taillights are broken. Chris O’Dowd is terrific as the man who falls for Annie. His affection and the way their relationship takes shape feel real, and is mined for a lot of good comedy.
Although I wouldn’t have chosen to see “Bridesmaids” on my own, I’m glad I did. Wiig pushes her performance too far in a few scenes, such as when she blows up over the bridal shower present Helen gives Lillian, but overall, she creates a believable, sad, amusing, and likable character whose end is much better than her beginning. I liked that.
Rated R for strong sexuality and language. Three stars out of four. Email David Laprad at dlaprad@hamiltoncountyherald.com.