I've even been taking an Improv class with my friend Cat and a group of strangers at a place called The Actor's Place in Virginia Beach. I've learned a few things - the rules of improv and so forth - and I've gotten a chance to start working on my skeelz. I really enjoy sketch comedy over all other types so I've loved being able to develop my little repertoire of characters.
I am by no means an expert when it comes to this stuff...I don't know that I've even met novice level yet...but I do know what I like and what I don't like.
Which brings me to my next blog subject - Bridesmaids. I've already seen it twice, once on opening night and then again because my sister is visiting me this weekend and I had to take her to see it! This movie gets three thumbs up from me.
And here's why:
1. Kristen Wiig is fan-freakin-tastic in this film! This is really the first time Kristen Wiig has had a role where the story rests on her...and she carries it so well! For the first time we see her move beyond the barely developed characters she plays on SNL to the very well-developed Annie Walker. Not only does this character seem organic...like it could be you or someone you actually know...but she still manages to land every joke perfectly. I enjoy Wiig's work on SNL; she has some very funny characters on the show (I'm a huge Garth and Kat fan) but she blew this role out of the water and knowing that she co-wrote the film makes me that much more impressed. The entire story is really about her life spiraling out of control and then finding herself again and you stay interested and root for her the whole time because Wiig makes the character so likable and relatable (even though she is kind of crazy).
BTW, during the plane scene...the lady she sits by is Annie Mumolo, with whom she co-wrote Bridesmaids.
2. Let me just tell you how uh-mazingg the rest of the cast is in this film. First, ya got Maya Rudolph of SNL fame that does a great job as the Bride, Lillian. Then there is Rose Byrne playing Helen, who I had never heard of before this film but a. She is gorgeous! and 2. The way her and Wiig play off one another is genius...more on that later. Then you've got Ellie Kemper (of the Office), Wendy McClendon-Covey (of Reno 911 fame) AND Melissa McCarthy. I can't even tell you how great McCarthy is in this movie. Oh Em Gee, her character is totally weird but McCarthy rocks every joke she puts out there. Jon Hamm plays a great sleazeball and Chris O'Dowd plays the lovable cop for the obligatory love story.
3. I could not get enough of the relationship dynamics in this film. The Lillian-Annie lifelong friendship is so well done. Usually in comedies, women seem like placeholders...it's like the writers said, "Well, we know there are women in the world so we better put some in the movie to make it seem like this movie took place on earth." But in Bridesmaids, the women are the center focus and they managed to create a hilarious story (even though everyone knows women aren't funny) while maintaining what true female friendships are like. Anyway, I just love the honesty of the friendship between Lillian and Annie; it felt very real, not contrived in any way. I think almost every woman has that friend where you just take care of each other...no matter what, you just take care of each other...it's your friendship wife. Thats what Annie and Lillian are and I thought they played it perfectly.
The OTHER female relationship that is so well portrayed in this film is the Annie-Helen relationship. Women are jealous and territorial and it makes us all a little crazy. Here, we have Annie who feels like Helen is encroaching on her lifelong friendship with Lillian...and Annie just can't keep up with the very perfect Helen. The competition between the two makes the movie. The scenes between Annie and Helen are always spot on and hilarious - never grating. My personal favorite is the gross-out dress shop scene and the exchange between the two of them when everyone gets sick. You just have to see it.
4. I know a large portion of the people that read my blog are Christians and I had a couple of folks inquire as to whether this film is really "bad" or not. I had a whole thing written about it and then I decided not to go there because movies are always a bit of a gray area with people. If you are a Christian and you want to see this movie but are unsure just keep in mind that its a rated R comedy and its produced by the same guy that did Superbad, Step Brothers, Knocked Up, etc. Know that the characters in the movie aren't Christians, so they aren't concerned with holiness. Jesus didn't say anything about movies so you have to rely on what you are comfortable with. I shall leave it at that.
Bridesmaids is the funniest movie I have seen in a long long time. And it's one of those movies that gets funnier every time you see it. Seriously, go watch it right now.
You heard it here first! Cheers!
