Screenhead

I take my chances today, folks, as there’s a pretty solid likelihood my membership in the International Fraternity of Guys is going to get at least censured and possibly revoked, because I’m willingly going to cover a movie called Bride Wars, just recently released to DVD.

And in this one, nigh-permanent BFFs Liv (played by Kate Hudson) and Emma (played by Anne Hathaway) have been—like most women, apparently—planning their dream wedding since they were little girls, and as they grow up, it soon becomes time to make those dreams a reality.  And both has longed for just one thing—a wedding at New York’s magnificent Plaza Hotel.  With a little judicious planning, both manage to save a date there.  But a clerical error soon causes trouble as both weddings are slated for the same date.  Who will walk away with all the marbles?  Who will have her dream wedding while the other is forced to attempt a likely disastrous date switching procedure?  Will the duo even emerge friends afterward?

Now, when I slapped this sucker in, I confess my expectations were wide and varied.  Was this going to emphasize the “bride”…or the “wars”?  The trailers certainly suggested both would be possible, but which would come out ahead?  As it turns out, it’s both.

Guys, I know you’re probably trying to avoid this one, but don’t worry.  See, this IS a chick flick.  But it’s one you can get behind—you know that show Bridezillas?  Well, this sucker is Bridezilla Versus Bridealon.  If Kate Hudson or Anne Hathaway made an occasional Godzilla snarl, it’d be complete.  In the perfect catty fashion, these two are going to toss barbs and really mean-spirited harsh language back and forth like streams of hot radioactive breath.  Then when they escalate into a full-bore prank war, with each lifelong friend taking eager and malicious advantage of each other’s weaknesses, it’ll only get funnier.

Okay, sure, there are a whole lot fewer explosions in this than your average Godzilla flick. But we WILL get hot chicks engaging in a catfight in bridal wear, and this is not a bad thing.  And there will be a shockingly good segment involving our two leads at a strip club.  It’s like they KNEW women would be dragging guys to this one and thus wanted to throw something in for them, as if to say, you poor bastard…here’s something to make you forget you’re not watching Terminator 2 again.

It’s a surprise, but there are a lot of laughs in this little package—a lot more laughs than I ever expected.   The word “unexpected” comes up a lot in this one.  It was a downright shock how much I enjoyed this movie.  Sure, it had all kinds of sappy chick flick in it, but there was so much force and violence to it that it almost felt like an action flick, or at the very least, a good scrappy Tommy Boy-esque comedy.

So basically, Bride Wars is a movie that has a surprisingly large appeal.  Between the pretty much guaranteed appeal to the ladies, who are no doubt nodding and muttering “Yeah, been there” to at least parts of this, there will also be plenty for the guys to enjoy.  Fellas—do yourselves a favor.  Bring home a copy of this some night. It won’t be near as painful as you think.

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