Bachelorette (Movie review)

 

2.5 out of 5 stars
Release date: March 19, 2013
*Available on Netflix's streaming service*

Rebel Wilson is a rising star. She was hilarious in both Bridesmaids and Pitch Perfect and has been tapped to host this year's MTV Movie Awards. She is a bright, funny comic and I can't wait to see what she's in next. If only she had been in this movie more. While the movie revolves around her character's (Becky) looming nuptials, it's really about three of her bridesmaids. Bachelorette wasn't a bad movie, per se, but it wasn't very fun to watch. This isn't a light-hearted comedy about a bachelorette party, but a fairly dark look at female friendship and jealousy. 

The movie starts with Becky's announcement over lunch to her high-school friend, Regan (Kirsten Dunst), that she is getting married. Regan has ordered a Cobb salad (sans meat, cheese, dressing, and avocado) while Becky ordered a burger and fries. Regan is devastated that she has done everything right in her life: she is thin, pretty, blonde, does volunteer work, is dating a doctor, and yet her "fat friend" is the one who is getting married. She quickly calls her two best friends, who will also ultimately serve as bridesmaids, Gena (Lizzy Caplan) and Katie (Isla Fisher). The four girls were friends in high school, but Becky is definitely the odd man out. Even her friends called her "pig-face" behind her back, and still do to this day.

The movie quickly moves to the night before the wedding. Gena and Katie show up with some coke (not the kind that comes in a red can) and are ready to party. Becky just wants a quiet party in her room with some champagne and ice cream. Katie arranges for a stripper (one of her friends) to show up to the party, but when he inadvertently calls Becky "pig-face" the party quickly dissolves leaving Regan, Gena, and Katie to their own devices. They start to party and end up destroying Becky's wedding dress. The bulk of the rest of the movie follows the girls as they try to resolve the wedding dress issue in the few hours they have before the wedding.

Again, Bachelorette isn't a bad movie, but I didn't really enjoy watching it. Regan, Gena, and Katie are all very unpleasant people. They are petty and insecure and jealous. While I appreciate real characters in a movie, it was hard to root for these girls. They all have realistic character arcs and I liked the note the movie ended on, but I was disgusted by a lot of their actions.

Frankly, I don't think I would have made it through this movie it wasn't for the stellar cast. The acting is so believable and I love all four of the actresses in the main roles. I also adore Adam Scott who plays Gena's old high school boyfriend. Overall, I do think Bachelorette is worth watching--especially if you have Netflix's streaming service, but be warned, this isn't a light-hearted comedy. While it definitely has some funny parts, there is a dark edge to the humor.