Bea says: Went to see this in Georgetown with a DC friend on a (very) hot afternoon yesterday - we figured the cinema was a good place to find refuge. I didn't know anything about this film, and kept my expectations low as I guessed it would be a kind of Bride-zilla comedy about getting married.
Well, I was actually quite pleasantly surprised. It was, of course, a comedy about getting married, but was also a nice study of friendship, particularly friendships that endure over many years, as well as being a look at getting your life together in your 30s.
The bride (Maya Rudolph) and her best friend/bridesmaid (Kristen Wiig) are indeed clearly not in the first flush of youth, and have lived a little over the years, which makes them a bit more interesting (and easier for me to relate to, being no longer in the first flush of youth myself!). In fact, judging by the music (Wilson Phillips - remember them?? Annoyingly, I can't get "Hold On" out of my head since watching this film!) it was written by, and targetted to, people of exactly my age. In fact I felt the characters were quite well-developed for this kind of genre.
In the 1990s, this film would have starred Meg Ryan, and Kristen Wiig does look a little like her, and had maybe modelled her character on Ryan's goofy style. I found myself missing those Meg Ryan type films, and kind of wished she'd played it; she might have added a little softness to the role.
This film was harder edged and much more explicit than those1990s romantic comedies though (hence the R rating I was surprised to see when we bought tickets, and explained the presence of several teenaged boys, who I was also surprised to see there - until the first sex scene happened), and is definitely not for the faint-hearted or prudish.
All in all, this film was a tonic, and I enjoyed nearly every minute, AND it left me feeling thoughtful, but good. A bit of welcome light relief from all those depressing European films we've been seeing lately....
***
Cecil says: Oo er - perhaps I'd better let Bea choose the next films...Shame I missed this one. I too thought it would be more targeted at 14 year old girls, so was quite happy to let Bea go to this while I slogged away at work...
1 comment:
I saw the movie with my husband this weekend. It's clearly a chick flick/rom com that appeals to all, judging by his guffaws! From the first scene, Kristen Wiig reminded me of Meg Ryan in "When Harry Met Sally" -- the smart, funny, self-effacing, romantically challenged heroine. Her scenes with Jon Hamm were bittersweet for anyone who's been in something she shouldn't for too long. The rivalry between her and Helen evoked the single woman's feelings of inferiority and disdain at married women whose lives seem perfect at first blush, but in reality have their own set of problems.
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