Sunday, 01 January 2012
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My Unpopular Opinion: I Didn't Like 'Bridesmaids'
After reading my friend Jessica's Top 10 films of 2011 and the comments that followed, I came to a conclusion -- I am one of like four people on earth who did not like Bridesmaids. Jessica suggested I write about it here and I'm glad to do so.
Let me start by saying, I have no disrespect for anyone who liked Bridesmaids. In fact, most people I know did, it didn't change my opinion of them or anything, I just didn't like it. I hope you will respect my opinion as well.
At first I didn't know why I thought this movie was so terrible, so I thought of all the comedy films I do love and tried to figure out what those films have that I found lacking in Bridesmaids. Here's what I came up with:
1. Real characters. I did not see a real character in Bridesmaids. I didn't see anyone who resembled the women with whom I am friends. I saw cookie cutters of stereotypes. This film was full of great actresses who deserved better, more well rounded characters to portray -- instead they got the prude, the rich brat, the drunk horny one, etc. I don't know about yours, but my friends are far more multi-faceted than that. They don't fit so tightly and neatly into pre-conceived notions of "types" of women. I really thought we were beyond such portrayals.
2. Stereotypes. I touched on this above, but it deserves more attention. Here's a hypothetical, if I went up to a woman -- any woman -- and said "I hate girls, they're catty bitches," most women would put me in my place, and rightfully so. Therefore, I can't help but wonder why we're so willing to accept movie portrayals of women as "catty bitches" -- one of the main threads of the film. "Women are catty bitches who are so insecure that they're willing to potentially ruin their oldest friend's bachelorette/shower/wedding when they get too jealous." Again, I don't know women like this and I don't appreciate being portrayed as such.
3. It wasn't funny. I know I'm opening myself up to a lot of negative comments here, but I just didn't think it was funny. Sure, a few parts were amusing, but overall I was legitimately bored. Prior to seeing the film I had heard so much about how this film proved once and for all that women could indeed be funny (I didn't realize this was a topic being debated). But here's what I don't get -- the moments everyone cites as being hilarious and the funniest parts of the movie are the ones Judd Apatow put in to appeal to a broader audience (read: men). It seems the message is clear -- women can be funny, but only when they're doing the funny things men do. I'm definitely not comfortable with that idea. Women can be and are funny without Judd Apatow needing to turn them into Jim Carrey, Seth Rogen or Jonah Hill.
4. It all felt forced. Quite a few of the scenes made me feel like I was being screamed at -- "WE'RE BEING FUNNY RIGHT NOW! SO FUNNY! RIGHT NOW! DO YOU SEE US? DO YOU SEE HOW HILARIOUS WE ARE???" This may just be a personal preference but this tactic doesn't work for me. I don't think it allows the actors and actresses to connect with their characters authentically and I, as a member of the audience, feel really disengaged. In fact, it makes me feel like the filmmakers think the audience is simple and stupid, like they think we'll just laugh at anything, Some of the best comedies (film and television) are the subtlest. The films of Wes Andserson come to mind. All the comedy comes from how believably he creates his characters. He makes the audience believe these people are real and when the character responds authentically to a situation, it's funny because we understand them.
5. I guess 1-4 culminate here, with this -- I didn't believe it. The characters and situations didn't feel authentic. I couldn't relate to anything. It all felt forced, which made me really bored.
So, am I alone, was I the only one who disliked the film? Did you dislike the film but for entirely different reasons? Did feel similarly, but like the film anyway?
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Comments (68)
I didn't like it either. :)
It wasn't really supposed to be authentic, just like The Hangover wasn't. If you watch a movie like Bridesmaids and apply your expectations and desires of a well-rounded, relatable film, of course you won't enjoy it.
I really didn't enjoy it either. I was sick at the time, so that could have contributed. Only saving grace of the movie was that Roy from IT Crowd was in it.
Finally, someone who didn't like it either. My friend thought it was one of the funniest movies she ever saw but I was incredibly bored.
I didn't like it either. I thought I would, because I love all the SNL women that are in it, but I didn't. I think I laughed twice, maybe, throughout the whole thing.
Bridesmaids was kind of like Snakes on a Plane. If you go into expect realism, you'll be disappointed. If you go into it expecting fucking snakes on a plane, you'll be fine. That said, I disagreed with how it was marketed as the female version of the Hangover. I've been hungover with my female friends: the next morning we had to track down a cellphone (we had a pub crawl, there were a lot of bars to check), find my friend's sister who ran off with her car (we were in my car), while doing that I drag-raced my Yaris, my friend threw up out the back window when I was going 80 and when we got home I found a passport from Columbia in my car that was missing a picture. When I checked my FB I had pictures of me with dozens of people I don't remember at all. Bridesmaids was not The Hangover for girls. The Hangover was the The Hangover for girls.
I didnt like it that much. I dont understand why some people are so obsessed with it.
But i did finish watching it and i thought it was ok. I didnt expect much from it anyway.
bridesmaid fucking ruled. disagree
@TheBottomandBack@xanga - Colombia*
Hey, dummy, it's a movie. Movies aren't supposed to be authentic most of the time. You're supposed to 'suspend disbelief'. Try that next time you go watch a shitty movie, and you might actually enjoy it.
I think people find different types of humor appealing. You didn't like Bridesmaid because you probably don't like any movies in the similar comedy category. Unless you love the Hangover and Judd Apatow movies.
I liked The Hangover, I hated Bridesmaids. It was, in my opinion, depressing. I felt like you spent the entire film rooting for this woman's demise, waiting for her to hit rock bottom, and for what- so we can laugh? Yes, she's just a character and it's acceptable to laugh at movie characters. I can't help but wonder, though, how many people who enjoyed this film would be equally willing to laugh at a friend that had hit rock bottom? I don't appreciate story lines that rest on any one character's misery in order to draw out the humor they seek. Even films like Jackass don't stoop that low.
@AbnormalButSane@xanga - Agreed with Roy being the movie's saving grace. And that show is amazing :D
Shit. I desperately hate this movie. Total waste of 12 bucks to go see it. Way overhyped and stupid. Not to mention, not funny AT ALL. The best part about this movie was the puppies.
I've never seen it. Don't want to. I'm not big on chick flicks. I saw New Year's Eve because my friend wanted to see it, and while most of it was good, it was also good in the sense of "yeah I'd watch that on TV again when there's nothing on," while a lot of it was super cheesy. I know Bridesmaids is supposed to be like... I dunno, a better type of chick flick, but no thanks. The next movie I plan on spending money to see is The Hobbit, FUCK YA.
It was no where close to as funny as I heard it was.
@Digital_Angel21@xanga - Is it like... obvious insert-joke-here humour? Or obvious "look at how stupid we are being, now laugh at the situation" funny? I generally prefer dry, dark, or natural humour, such as what you'd find in natural situations without it even meaning to be funny. Basically anything that would not be able to utilize a laugh track is the kind of humour I prefer.
I have mixed feelings about it. When I saw previews for it I didn't want to see it. I didn't like that it was portrayed as a female version of the hangover. It's as if there always has to be something female equivalent . I'm all for equal rights, but jesus christ, let men have a movie about a man's wild bachelor party before their wedding. The Hangover was quality, so what do the women get? A good, funny movie, just like men... plus the added bonus of Bradley Cooper...gorgeous!
I waited a long time till I did go ahead and see the movie. I only did because so many people raved about how hilarious it was.
Was it worth seeing? Sure. If I had to give it a rating, I'd give it a C+. It was okay. It was a below average comedy that attempted to provide women with laughter.....but, that's pretty much what the previews showed. Sometimes, what you see is what you get. In this case, that is absolutely true.
I haven't seen it and I don't want to. Looks boring.
Bridesmaids sucked! It was totally different from how it was advertised. Ultimate bait and switch.
Some parts were just TERRIBLE, but some of them were funny and overall I enjoyed it. Mostly the airplane scenes.
haha i didn't like it either
watch this music video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdZuuvLc8Pc
I didn't like it either. Thank God, someone who said exactly what I was thinking!