Though 2010 was the best year for movie releases in my lifetime with the likes of movies like The Town, Inception, Shutter Island, Blue Valentine, 127 Hours, Black Swan, and The King’s Speech, it still liked that one killer comedy (although Date Night was an entertaining movie). I have also heard very good things about Get Him to the Greek, but I still have not seen it. 2011, on the other hand, has had some fantastic comedies, including The Hangover Part 2 (sure, it was the first movie all over again, but it was still laugh-out-loud hilarious, so who cares), Hall Pass, Horrible Bosses, and the more sentimental Crazy, Stupid, Love. which was just as endearing as it was funny. But, without a doubt, the funniest movie of the year was Bridesmaids.

Bridesmaids isn’t going to take a super long review to explain the plot to you. In fact, I suggest stopping reading now and going to your nearest Redbox or seeing if it’s available yet on Netflix streaming. I’ve heard many comparisons that Bridesmaids is The Hangover for women. I disagree. A much better comparison would be Old School for women. However, the raunchiness is similar to The Hangover. Director Paul Feig (Unaccompanied Minors, I Am David) didn’t hold back here. Any preconceived notions that women can’t be as gross and disgusting on the big screen are quickly thrown out the window. Bridesmaids toes the line of what can be shown on film with a R rating but never crosses it. However, that is not what you will be thinking about during your viewing because you will be laughing out loud too hard.

Kristen Wiig, most notably known for her outstanding work on Saturday Night Live, stars as Annie, a woman in her late 30s who likes to show a front like she has everything together but is really a mess. Saturday Night Live alum Maya Rudolph (Away We Go, Grown Ups) is Lillian, Annie’s best friend. What keeps Annie from being depressed is that Lillian is going through a similar midlife crisis. But when Lillian surprises her best friend with an engagement ring, Annie is forced to reexamine her own life. On top of that, Annie is Lillian’s maid-of-honor, and what, at first, feels like a huge honor quickly changes to a considerable deal of unwanted stress as she scans over the massive “To Do” list. The movie revolves around the events (bridal shower, Bachelorette party, etc.) leading up to the wedding and the actual wedding itself.

Aside from being in her late 30s with no prospect of a mate, the Milwaukee bakery shop that Annie opened during a recession has gone out of business; she also shares an apartment with a brother/sister combo that she has nothing in common with. It would be an understatement to say her life isn’t where she wants it to be. Then there is the budding rivalry with the beautiful Helen (Rose Byrne – Insidious, Get Him to the Greek), a wealthy and confident wife of the groom’s boss. Helen likes to be in charge of everything and is constantly stepping on Annie’s toes and trying to one-up her whether she means to or not.

Bridesmaids has a great ensemble. All of the five bridesmaids, as well as Lillian, have their own stories that are well-developed. Melissa McCarthy (The Backup Plan, Life As We Know It) stars as Megan, the groom’s sister. As is the case with many wedding parties, the bridesmaid’s brother or the groom’s sister often stands out like a sore thumb. This is exactly the case with the crass Megan, a woman with a big heart and a big (and unfiltered) mouth. McCarthy will receive a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award nomination for her role. The relatively unknown Chris O’Dowd (Dinner for Schmucks, Gulliver’s Travels) delivers an undervalued performance as Rhodes, the one real “nice guy” in the movie who wants to be a part of Annie’s life despite her constantly trying to shut him down. He’s rational when he’s irrational. He’s a glass-half-full guy, and she is a glass-half-empty girl. They complement each other well, and it feels like they would be a very happy couple if Annie just let him in and gave him a chance.

Bridesmaids is the funniest movie of 2011 and the funniest movie since The Hangover. It’s a must-watch.

Plot 9/10
Character Development 9/10
Character Chemistry 9.5/10
Acting 9.5/10
Screenplay 9.5/10
Directing  9.5/10
Cinematography 8/10
Sound 9/10 (Wilson Phillips provides some good cheese and helps emphasize just how dorky Annie and Lillian were in their youth)
Hook and Reel 9.5/10 (you’ll be entertained by the first scene. Think of the first scene of American Pie and how you just knew you were in for something downright hilarious for the rest of the movie…similar idea)
Universal Relevance 10/10 (we are all Annie in some regard at some point in our lives)
92.5%

Movies You Might Like If You Liked This Movie

• The Hangover
• Knocked Up
• The 40-Year-Old-Virgin
• Trainwreck
• Mean Girls