Bride Wars will be coming out early in January of next year (OK, OK next month) and is quietly being advertised up as "the" movie to see. The emphasis is on quietly, as surprisingly little advertising has been spent on this film, judging by the lack of television commercials, especially considering the two major headlining stars ... actually, make that three. Perhaps the reason the advertising blitz seems to have passed over this one is because the people behind the film know what the rest of the world will soon find out: It's not really that good.
It was surprising how flat the movie often falls. Shocking, because between Candice Bergen, Anne Hathaway, Kate Hudson and Kristen Johnston, you'd think someone could save the film. Speaking of Johnston, could somebody tell the poor woman to eat something? She is shockingly skinny in Bride Wars, playing (hilariously) an obnoxious and mooching co-worker of Hathaway's. Brace yourself for the scene where her legs are visible - she's practically skeletal. Little bit of a letdown, after she became known as a beautiful and proudly curvaceous comedienne in such well-liked fare as Third Rock from the Sun.
The premise of Bride Wars is this: Two best friends (Hudson and Hathaway) absolutely love weddings. Like, love love them. Hudson is the more compulsive and strong-willed friend, while Hathaway is the lovable but somewhat weak yin to her yang. Everything is just peachy keen, jelly bean, until . . . marriage! Hudson assumes that in order to be the best, she must come first in everything, including marriage. When it looks like Hathaway might beat her to the altar, we see the first sign of trouble. Then when an assistant to Bergen, the premiere wedding planner in New York, accidentally books the wrong wedding dates and forces Hudson and Hathaway to decide who gets married first at the swanky hotel and who has to wait, all hell breaks loose. Fighting because neither one wants to give up the "perfect" date, Hudson and Hathaway find themselves planning for their weddings . . . on the same day.
Sure, there are some cute moments, but it is a shame to say that Bride Wars just isn't memorable. Hathaway is an excellent actress who has shown her chameleon-like versatility. Speaking of versatility, Hudson is also a beautiful and talented performer, who has excelled at displaying her comic chops. Bergen is at the top of her game, per usual, and Johnston's dry hilarity helps to salvage sections of the movie. The supporting cast is great - everyone seems to be having just a jolly time. Somehow, the chemistry of the film just doesn't flow, and at some point near the end of the beginning, it just stops being fun. It's an odd mixture of fuzzy and warm, then mean-spirited and tired.
Perhaps it's just hard to see Hudson and Hathaway sway from adoring childhood best friends to enemies in a split second, or perhaps it's just that the story line seems recycled, tired and not terribly creative. Hopefully, the editing in the final version is significantly better than the initial editing. Looking forward to the next movie starring Hathaway or Hudson . . . just not this one.
Susannah K.
Bride Wars
Bride Wars will be coming out early in January of next year (OK, OK next month) and is quietly being advertised up as "the" movie to see. The emphasis is on quietly, as surprisingly little advertising has been spent on this film, judging by the lack of television commercials, especially considering the two major headlining stars ... actually, make that three. Perhaps the reason the advertising blitz seems to have passed over this one is because the people behind the film know what the rest of the world will soon find out: It's not really that good.
It was surprising how flat the movie often falls. Shocking, because between Candice Bergen, Anne Hathaway, Kate Hudson and Kristen Johnston, you'd think someone could save the film. Speaking of Johnston, could somebody tell the poor woman to eat something? She is shockingly skinny in Bride Wars, playing (hilariously) an obnoxious and mooching co-worker of Hathaway's. Brace yourself for the scene where her legs are visible - she's practically skeletal. Little bit of a letdown, after she became known as a beautiful and proudly curvaceous comedienne in such well-liked fare as Third Rock from the Sun.
The premise of Bride Wars is this: Two best friends (Hudson and Hathaway) absolutely love weddings. Like, love love them. Hudson is the more compulsive and strong-willed friend, while Hathaway is the lovable but somewhat weak yin to her yang. Everything is just peachy keen, jelly bean, until . . . marriage! Hudson assumes that in order to be the best, she must come first in everything, including marriage. When it looks like Hathaway might beat her to the altar, we see the first sign of trouble. Then when an assistant to Bergen, the premiere wedding planner in New York, accidentally books the wrong wedding dates and forces Hudson and Hathaway to decide who gets married first at the swanky hotel and who has to wait, all hell breaks loose. Fighting because neither one wants to give up the "perfect" date, Hudson and Hathaway find themselves planning for their weddings . . . on the same day.
Sure, there are some cute moments, but it is a shame to say that Bride Wars just isn't memorable. Hathaway is an excellent actress who has shown her chameleon-like versatility. Speaking of versatility, Hudson is also a beautiful and talented performer, who has excelled at displaying her comic chops. Bergen is at the top of her game, per usual, and Johnston's dry hilarity helps to salvage sections of the movie. The supporting cast is great - everyone seems to be having just a jolly time. Somehow, the chemistry of the film just doesn't flow, and at some point near the end of the beginning, it just stops being fun. It's an odd mixture of fuzzy and warm, then mean-spirited and tired.
Perhaps it's just hard to see Hudson and Hathaway sway from adoring childhood best friends to enemies in a split second, or perhaps it's just that the story line seems recycled, tired and not terribly creative. Hopefully, the editing in the final version is significantly better than the initial editing. Looking forward to the next movie starring Hathaway or Hudson . . . just not this one.
