But what a pleasant surprise it turned out to be. This movie is simply a hoot, but not in the brainless kind of way. It`s very funny, it`s touching in some parts, and it`s something that most women above the age of 30 can relate to.
Sure, there are a few tasteless jokes but the script is so well-written that you`ll find yourself laughing at the clever dialogue more than the ridiculous actions. It may be over-the-top at times but remains very real at its core.
The fact that most of the cast is relatively unknown works in its favour too. Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph are from Saturday Night Live and prove that their comedic talents go beyond that TV show. Wiig is a revelation; in fact, she even co-wrote and co-produced the movie and she could be on her way to becoming the next Tina Fey.
Aussie actress Rose Byrne plays the bitch perfectly, while Melissa McCarthy is the group`s laughing stock but she has some great lines too. And it might be just us but McCarthy`s mannerisms in this movie remind us of Ricky Gervais, for some reason.
Fans of British TV will also be pleased to see Little Britain`s Matt Lucas in a small role as Annie`s housemate and Chris O`Dowd of The IT Crowd fame as the dashing policeman who charms Annie. Plus, Mad Men`s Jon Hamm makes an uncredited appearance as Annie`s occasional ‘adult sleepover` friend and he`s hilarious in this role.
Bridesmaids is proof that you don`t need a famous cast or shedloads of publicity to make a movie a hit.
You`ll laugh, you`ll cry, you`ll swoon, and you`ll even cringe at times. But that`s real life, isn`t it?
Balvinder Sandhu