'Bridesmaids': Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph capture female friendship with honesty -- and laughs

The maid of honor is the unsung hero at every wedding: she has to make sure everything runs smoothly, remain perpetually enthusiastic, and look good no matter what taffeta atrocity she’s been asked to wear. Plus, she can't ever upstage the bride.

Such is the burden facing screenwriter and starKristen WiiginPaul Feig's long-awaited comedy"Bridesmaids."If it flops, it'll be her fault. If it succeeds, producerJudd Apatow-- finally breaking free from bromances -- will get much of the credit.

Good thing he tossed the bouquet to the right woman.

Wiig and her co-writer,Annie Mumolo, were clearly determined to make a movie that actually reflected reality, albeit in the most exaggerated manner imaginable, and with as much alcohol as possible.

So Wiig's Annie isn't just down on her luck but a perpetual underachiever, whose world is rocked when her best friend (Maya Rudolph) gets engaged. With no idea what lies ahead, she loyally agrees to be maid of honor.

Things head south immediately, as the other bridesmaids (including standoutMelissa McCarthy) notice Annie's slacker attitude. The snooty Helen (Rose Byrne, perfect) is especially appalled, and begins approaching pre-wedding planning as a competitive sport. Meanwhile, Annie's so distracted by a selfish playboy (Jon Hamm), she keeps overlooking an obvious soul mate (Chris O'Dowd).

If this sounds like a typical date movie, worry not. It's very much an Apatow production—though the crasser additions, like his already-notorious food poisoning scene, feel painfully forced. Like most of his movies, this one's also too long, and ends with a rushed, regrettably dismissive finale that literally pushes Annie into the back seat of her own story.

But just as Apatow redefined leading men in a more realistic manner, Wiig may well change the way Hollywood looks at ladies.

She and the equally wonderful Rudolph provide an ideal antidote to the plastic characters in formulaic rom-coms like last week's"Something Borrowed."Equally important, they capture female friendship with an honesty and generosity that's nearly nonexistent onscreen.

Usually, character actresses -- which is to say, those who don't look likeKate Hudson-- are always the bridesmaids, and never the brides. After walking down this aisle, Wiig should be flooded with requests for a return engagement. 

DON'T MISS:The hilarious dueling bridesmaid speeches between Wiig and Byrne's characters. Who needs firepower when these women wield a glass of champagne with so much ferocity?

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