Bridesmaids: Rom-Com Or Not?

The 2011 film Bridesmaids, starring Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and Melissa McCarthy, is often regarded as a romantic comedy. However, opinions vary, with some arguing that the central conflict in the film is not romantic in nature, but rather revolves around friendship and competition between the female leads. While the film does include romantic elements and has been labelled a chick flick, its impact lies in presenting a female-driven narrative that blends humour, emotion, and raunchy comedy, challenging stereotypes and showcasing the versatility of women in comedy.

Is Bridesmaids a romantic comedy?

The 2011 film Bridesmaids, starring Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and Melissa McCarthy, has been labelled a romantic comedy by some. However, others disagree with this classification.

Romantic comedies, or rom-coms, are films in which the primary comedic tension arises from a central romantic relationship. While Bridesmaids does feature a romantic subplot, the central conflict is not romantic in nature. The film's main tension exists between Annie (Kristen Wiig) and Helen (Rose Byrne), who are competing for the attention of the bride, Lillian (Maya Rudolph). This rivalry drives the narrative more than any romantic relationships, and thus, it could be argued that Bridesmaids falls outside the traditional rom-com structure.

However, some would argue that Bridesmaids does fit the mould of a romantic comedy. The film does include a romantic subplot between Annie and Nathan Rhodes, a Wisconsin State Trooper. Additionally, the film has been praised for its handling of female-driven storylines and has been credited with proving that women can be just as funny as men. This evolution of the genre, with a female-centric narrative, could be seen as expanding the definition of what constitutes a romantic comedy.

Ultimately, the classification of Bridesmaids as a romantic comedy is subjective. While the film does include romantic elements, the central conflict revolves around the rivalry between Annie and Helen. This deviation from the traditional rom-com structure has led some to view Bridesmaids as a unique category of film that transcends genre labels.

Is it a 'chick flick'?

The 2011 film Bridesmaids, starring Kristen Wiig, has been labelled a chick flick by some. However, this term is often used to describe films that are considered formulaic and superficial, and Bridesmaids defies this stereotype. The film's success has been hailed as a breakthrough for female-led comedies, with its female-driven storyline passing the Bechdel test.

Bridesmaids centres on Annie Walker, a young single woman who is asked to be her best friend Lillian's maid of honour. The film follows Annie's misfortunes as she struggles with her bakery business, her unfulfilling love life, and her rivalry with Helen, another bridesmaid who competes with Annie for Lillian's attention. While the film does include a romantic subplot, the central tension is between Annie and Helen, making it more of a story about friendship and competition than a traditional romantic comedy.

The film has been praised for its raunchy humour and honest portrayal of women's experiences, with some critics calling it a "gross-out women's comedy". It has also been credited with proving that female-led comedies can be just as successful as male-led ones, with 67% of its opening audience being female.

Despite its positive reception, some critics have taken issue with the frequency of raunchy jokes in the film, arguing that it contributes to the perception of female-led comedies as formulaic and superficial. However, others have defended the film, stating that its humour and emotional backbone give it broad appeal.

In conclusion, while Bridesmaids may be considered a chick flick by some due to its female-led cast and wedding-related plot, it defies many of the stereotypes associated with the term. The film's success has sparked discussions about the potential for a new genre of female-led comedies that push the envelope and offer a more honest portrayal of women's experiences.

Is it a gross-out comedy?

The 2011 film Bridesmaids, written by Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig, and directed by Paul Feig, is a comedy that has been described as a "gross-out comedy" or "gross-out gag" by some critics. The film features a scene in which the central character, Annie, played by Wiig, takes a sedative and liquor to alleviate her fear of flying, but instead begins to hallucinate and suffers a paranoid breakdown, culminating in her being apprehended by a U.S. Air Marshal. The plane makes an emergency landing, and the bridal party, who are on their way to Las Vegas, are forced to take a bus home.

In another scene, Annie, who has lost her passion for baking after her bakery went out of business, panics and abruptly leaves when her love interest, Nathan, surprises her with baking supplies. The film also includes a scene in which Annie is fired from her job at a jewellery store after a profanity-laden argument with a teenage customer.

While the film does include some elements of gross-out comedy, it also explores themes of friendship, competition, class envy, and midlife despair. The "gross-out" scenes serve to heighten the comedic effect and provide a contrast to the more emotional and heartfelt moments in the film.

Some critics have praised the film's ability to combine gross-out humour with emotional depth. Roger Ebert, for example, described the film as "a more or less deliberate attempt to cross the Chick Flick with the Raunch Comedy," proving that "women are the equal of men in vulgarity, sexual frankness, lust, vulnerability, overdrinking and insecurity."

Other critics, such as Abby Koenig of The Houston Press, have been less favourable towards the film's brand of humour, expressing a desire to see "women that can crack you up without making you watch them have diarrhea." Karina Longworth of The Village Voice also criticised the film for its "dumb crassness," stating that certain scenes worked against the "smart, highly class-conscious deconstruction of female friendship and competition."

Ultimately, whether or not one considers Bridesmaids to be a gross-out comedy is a matter of personal interpretation. The film certainly includes elements of gross-out humour, but it also offers a thoughtful exploration of its characters' lives and relationships, adding depth and emotional resonance to the story.

Is it a breakthrough for female-centred comedy?

The 2011 film Bridesmaids, starring Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and Rose Byrne, is widely considered a breakthrough for female-centred comedy. The film, directed by Paul Feig, was written by Wiig and Annie Mumolo, and produced by Judd Apatow. It focuses on a woman who experiences a series of misfortunes after being asked to serve as the maid of honour for her best friend.

Bridesmaids was a critical and commercial success, making $26 million in its opening weekend and eventually earning over $306 million worldwide. The film received numerous accolades, including a Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, and Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Screenplay.

Prior to Bridesmaids, female-led comedies were often viewed as flukes, with sequels to My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Sex and the City flopping at the box office. However, the success of Bridesmaids proved that films about women, which focused on female friendship and relegated romance to a subplot, could be hugely successful. The film demonstrated that women could be just as funny, outrageous, and R-rated as their male counterparts, and that female-led comedies could appeal to a broad audience, with 33% of the movie's audience being male and 63% over the age of 30.

The success of Bridesmaids paved the way for a new generation of smart, female-centric films, with many more funny women of diverse races and sexualities hitting the screens. Films such as Booksmart, Blockers, Girls Trip, and The Heat are said to owe a debt to Bridesmaids' success. The film also challenged the notion that female-led comedies were lesser or "chick flicks", and proved that women could be just as crude and vulgar as men.

In addition to its commercial and critical success, Bridesmaids also passed the Bechdel test of female-driven storylines, with its innately female rapport and focus on the fear of losing a platonic best friend. The film's impact extended beyond the box office, with producer Lynda Obst noting that its success was "critical for every woman in features, [and] why its success was attended with such profound interest by every woman writer, producer and director in town."

Does it have a universal appeal?

The 2011 film Bridesmaids, starring Kristen Wiig, has been described as a ""breakthrough for female-centred comedy, and feminist to boot". It is a comedy with romantic elements that centres on the relationship between two women, and has been credited with proving that "women could pull off a good fart joke as well as the next guy". The film's success has been seen as an indication that there is an audience for "women's stories that have truth to them".

Indeed, the film has a 67% female audience, with only 37% under the age of 30. This suggests that the film has a broad appeal beyond young women, and this is reflected in the critical acclaim it received. One review states that the film has a "relatable story that isn't so much about any kind of romance but rather someone who is losing their mind". Another review calls it a "rare comedy that has an all-female cast, yet can appeal to anyone".

However, it is worth noting that the film has also received some criticism. Abby Koenig of The Houston Press, for example, disliked the frequency of "raunchy jokes" throughout the film, and Karina Longworth of The Village Voice criticised the inconsistency of the film's tone. Nonetheless, Bridesmaids has been nominated for and won multiple awards, including two Academy Award nominations and a Golden Globe nomination.

In conclusion, while there may be some differing opinions on the film, its commercial and critical success suggests that it has a broad appeal that extends beyond its female audience.

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