Bridesmaids is a 2011 R-rated comedy movie directed by Paul Feig and written by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo. The film stars Kristen Wiig as Annie, a single woman whose life is a mess, but when her best friend Lillian, played by Maya Rudolph, gets engaged, she has to serve as the maid of honour. The movie explores the strange and expensive rituals associated with the role of a bride's go-to gal and the wild road to the wedding. It has been praised for its smart performances, scurrilous gags, and insight into female friendships.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Release Date | May 13, 2011 |
Runtime | 124 minutes |
Rating | R |
Genre | Comedy |
Director | Paul Feig |
Writers | Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumolo |
Producers | Judd Apatow |
Starring | Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Chris O'Dowd |
What You'll Learn
The film's R rating
Bridesmaids, the 2011 female-led comedy starring Kristen Wiig, received an R rating due to its strong sexual content and language. The film opens with a lengthy sex scene, which, while not showing sensitive body parts, is energetic and loud. The film also features nudity, sexual innuendos, and crude language. The characters also drink alcohol frequently, sometimes to excess, and there is a scene where a woman takes prescription drugs with alcohol.
The R rating is a motion picture rating assigned by the Motion Picture Association (MPA) to films targeted at adult audiences. The rating indicates that viewers under 17 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian. The MPA awards the R rating to films that feature adult themes, strong language, intense or persistent violence, drug abuse, or explicit sexual content.
The R rating for Bridesmaids aligns with these guidelines, particularly in terms of sexual content and language. The film features numerous sexual references and scenes, including the opening sequence, which depicts a couple engaged in a passionate sexual encounter. While nudity is not explicit, it is implied, and the scene includes moaning and groaning. The film also includes sexual innuendos and discussions about sex, such as a woman propositioning strangers and another referencing "f--k buddies."
In terms of language, Bridesmaids features frequent strong language, including the use of words like "f--k" and its permutations, "s--t," "d--k," "c--k," "c--t," "ass," and "a--hole." The characters also make religious exclamations like "oh my God" and "goddamn." This strong language contributed to the film's R rating, as it exceeds the MPA's guidelines for language in films suitable for younger audiences.
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Strong language and sexual themes
Bridesmaids is an R-rated comedy that explores the dynamic between two friends, Annie and Lillian, as they navigate the challenges of Lillian's upcoming wedding. The movie opens with a lengthy and explicit sex scene, setting the tone for the strong language and sexual themes that permeate the film.
The film is characterised by frequent and strong language, including a variety of curse words and expletives. The characters' dialogue is laced with words like "f--k" (and its permutations), "s--t", "d--k", "c--k", "c--t", "ass", "a--hole", "goddamn", "damn", "oh my God", and "hell". The liberal use of profanity contributes to the crude and unfiltered nature of the film's humour.
In addition to the strong language, Bridesmaids features several sexual themes and scenes. The opening sex scene, while not showing sensitive body parts, is energetic and loud, with nudity implied through the framing and the actors' attire. The film also includes instances of sexual innuendo and explicit discussions about sex. One character propositions strangers crudely, while another mentions having "f--k buddies". There is also a scene where a man squeezes a woman's breast through her bra while making humorous sexual remarks.
The exploration of female friendships and dynamics is a central theme in Bridesmaids, and this is often intertwined with sexual humour and innuendo. The rivalry between the maid of honour and a bridesmaid, competing for the bride's affection, adds tension and comedic moments to the film. The film also touches on the commercialisation of weddings and the pressure to have a lavish celebration, which influences the characters' behaviour and interactions.
While the strong language and sexual themes are integral to the film's humour and narrative, they also contribute to its mature rating. The film is not suitable for younger audiences, and parental guidance is advised for older teens.
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Drinking, drugs and smoking
The R-rated comedy Bridesmaids features a lot of drinking, drugs, and smoking. The film opens with a sex scene, and there is drinking throughout, with the characters drinking wine and other types of alcohol at bars and events, sometimes to excess. A woman gives her friend prescription drugs to calm her nerves during a flight, which she combines with hard alcohol, leading to detrimental effects.
There are also several scenes of drug use and erratic behaviour. For example, one character slips drugs into another character's drink on a plane, causing erratic behaviour. The film also features a scene where the bridal party gets food poisoning, leading to an uproarious and raunchy set of scenes.
The film has been described as a "hilarious yet affecting" comedy that explores the friendship between two women, Annie and Lillian, as they navigate the lead-up to Lillian's wedding. It has been praised for its smart performances and scurrilous gags, as well as its insight into women's friendships.
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Violence and scariness
Bridesmaids Movie: Violence and Scariness
The 2011 comedy Bridesmaids, rated R in the US and 15 in the UK, contains frequent crude and sexual content, and some instances of violence and scariness that contribute to this rating. While the film is primarily a comedy and the violent content is often played for laughs, there are a few scenes that may be disturbing or intense for younger viewers.
One of the most prominent instances of violence involves a physical altercation between two of the bridesmaids, Annie and Helen. During a heated argument, Helen slaps Annie across the face, resulting in a brief but intense physical fight that is portrayed in a comedic light. This scene depicts slapping, punching, hair-pulling, and the use of props as weapons, such as a golf club and a large vase. While the fight is not overly graphic, it does involve some aggressive and chaotic moments that may be unsettling for sensitive viewers.
Another scene that contributes to the rating is a sequence where the bridesmaids accidentally consume drugs before boarding an international flight. As the drugs take effect, the women experience hallucinations and exhibit erratic behavior. This includes a scene where one of the bridesmaids, Megan, becomes convinced that she is being attacked by a monster in the plane bathroom. She screams and tries to fight off the imaginary creature, causing a scene that disturbs the other passengers and crew. While played for comedic effect, this scene does involve intense screaming, chaotic behavior, and the suggestion of violence.
The film also includes a few brief moments of scariness that may startle younger audiences. One such scene occurs when the bridesmaids visit a boutique owned by Annie's rival, Helen. As they explore the store, they stumble upon a life-size mannequin that closely resembles Annie, causing a moment of shock and fear. The scene is meant to be humorous, but the sudden appearance of the mannequin and the characters' frightened reactions could potentially be scary for younger viewers.
In addition, the film contains some intense verbal altercations and emotional confrontations that contribute to the overall intensity. These scenes involve raised voices, angry exchanges, and hurtful comments that may be disturbing for those sensitive to interpersonal conflict. While the language used is not physically violent, the intense and heated nature of these arguments could be considered intimidating and contributes to the overall rating of the film.
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Positive role models
Bridesmaids is an R-rated comedy that follows Annie (Kristen Wiig) and Lillian (Maya Rudolph), two friends whose lives are upended by Lillian's impending wedding. Despite losing sight of what's important at times, Annie and Lillian ultimately have each other's backs. Annie, who is very hard on herself and lets life get her down, finds her way back to a positive attitude, which is a relatable journey for many viewers. Megan, another character, is a strong, confident woman with a great attitude. While she is crude, she is also the most self-assured of all the characters.
The film also portrays the two main male characters as polar opposites. One is a shallow, callous jerk, while the other, Nathan Rhodes, is sweet and supportive. He is an Irish-American Wisconsin State Patrol Trooper who encourages Annie, an out-of-work pastry chef, to open a new bakery.
While the characters themselves are not considered role models due to their jealous and devious personality traits, the film's message about the importance of friendship and taking control of your life is a positive one.
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Frequently asked questions
The movie Bridesmaids is rated R for strong sexuality and language throughout.
Bridesmaids is a female-driven comedy about an out-of-work pastry chef whose lifelong best friend is getting married. She must serve as the maid of honour and navigate the strange and expensive rituals associated with the job.
The cast of Bridesmaids includes Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, and Chris O'Dowd.