movie review
Bride Wars
It's all-out (bride) war
“Bride Wars” is a diversion from the heavier movies in theaters right now. You won’t find Clint Eastwood’s crotchety old guy in “Gran Torino” or the emotional drain of “Marley & Me.” Ok, there ARE some downer aspects to “Bride Wars,” but it’s mostly a goofy chick-flick.
It tells the story of Liv (Kate Hudson) and Emma (Anne Hathaway), who’ve been best friends since they were kids and saw a wedding in progress at the Plaza Hotel in NYC. Ever since that day, they’ve both been planning their weddings which would, of course, take place at the Plaza.
As it so happens, Emma and Liv end up getting engaged at the same time. This would be fun and good, except for a glitch that schedules their weddings on the very same day at the Plaza.
Ok, here’s where the movie starts to go wrong. I said to my 11-year-old daughter, who saw the movie with me, if they’re such good friends, why don’t they have a double wedding? Or just celebrate each others’ joy, even though the weddings are on the same day? Couldn’t this be fun?
Apparently not, because the brides go all bridezilla on each other and do everything they can to sabotage each other’s Big Day. Emma sneaks into a hair salon and switches the colorings so that Liv’s hair turns blue. Then she starts sending her fattening sweets and a membership in the “International Butter Club,” so that Liv won’t be able to fit into her Vera Wang wedding dress.
Meanwhile, Liv somehow manages to wreak disaster at the tanning salon where Emma goes for a dose of healthy-glow before the wedding. After Liv’s maneuvering, Emma ends up orange. Aside from the fact that all of this is over-the-top unrealistic, a lot of it seems more sad than funny. A side-story involves Liv losing both of her parents at an early age, so aside from her brother, Emma really is like her family. It made me sad to think of two girls who are supposed to be so close acting in such a vengeful way.
You can’t call “Bride Wars” a lighthearted farce, because of the more dramatic elements of the storyline. Yet it’s not a drama either. It’s something in between, and doesn’t really work either way, for that reason.
The movie’s saving grace is Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway, both of whom do the romantic comedies fairly well (if only this had BEEN a romantic comedy). Still, if you’re a fan of either of these actresses, “Bride Wars” is worth a look. Candice Bergen does her best with the material she’s given. She’s the hotshot wedding planner the girls turn to for help. Bryan Greenberg, Chris Pratt, and Steve Howey play the men in their lives.
And while I’m at it, here’s another unrealistic aspect of the movie: Hudson’s attorney character could probably afford such a lavish wedding, but Hathaway’s schoolteacher? I doubt she could have sprung for the whole “Plaza wedding” thing on her salary. Just sayin’…
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