Year: 2009
Director: Gary Winick
Screenplay: Greg DePaul, Casey Wilson, June Diane Raphael
Starring: Kate Hudson, Anne Hathaway
Plot: Two best friends become rivals when they schedule their respective weddings on the same day
Jean-Luc Godard on cinema: Truth twenty-four times a second. He really wasn't talking about a film like Bride Wars. A film which condescends to it's main audience that when it comes to the customs of marriage. Love doesn't matter, The men certainly don't matter, all that matters is the big day for the Bride, that's it. The filmmakers pretty much boil everything down to the bride looking perfect. This wouldn't be too much of a problem if the "comic" material used within the film is weaker than a third rate sitcom.
I know this film wasn't "made" for me but I dislike the idea that if I'm dragged out to watch a Rom-Com then i really don't want to see shallow, materialistic, bitchy women whose only purpose in life is to wear a white dress. I'm sick of women in powerful occupations (Kate Hudson's character is a lawyer) turn into dibbling mess as soon as a sight of a ring appears. I'm sick of the idea of marriage being dragged into the mud and generally being an all round joke. I'm also sick of Hollywood Rom-Com's giving off a unreachable "perfect" vision of Romance. With Divorce rate finally lowering, do you think it's a good idea showing these ridiculous visions of relationships? I may be going over the top with this but with the amount of people bitching and whining about the amount of sex and violence in movies i feel i can rant about this. Seriously, it's not just violent films that cause people to lose it.
Ok so I'm over reacting. But Bride Wars really is a jumped up T.V movie with A-list actors. I would forgive the unoriginality and cliche if it wasn't for the fact that Bride Wars isn't funny. If you've seen the trailer, not only have you seen all the comic set pieces within 2 and a half minutes, but if you didn't laugh then....it's every unlikely you'll laugh at the full thing. Jokes are constantly falling by the wayside (seriously not even titters from the audience at times) due to the lack of bite within the writing and most of all the lack of comic timing portrayed by the two leads. Both are extremely attractive and can put butts on seats, but they aren't aren't funny. I could be if they had ok material but unfortunately no.
I may be considered a slight hypocrite yes but there's a reason why Four Weddings and a Funeral made a shitload while this will be forgotten in an instant. And please...when am I going to see Kate Hudson in a kick ass role again? it's been 8 years.
