Twin Bridezillas

I’m not sure what anyone was thinking with this appalling script, the only one who will profit (career wise) is fashion designer Vera Wang and I’m not so certain she favors this kind of attention. “Bride Wars” stars Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway as two life-long best friends who have dreamed of having their June weddings at the Plaza hotel in New York with each other as the Maid of Honor. This painful comedy portrays friendship and women in an extremely distasteful light.

The two life-long friends and I do stress life-long as the operative word here, become rivals as the film depicts (emotional and physical) sabotage by both women throughout the majority of the film. –OUCH, yes it’s painful on multiple levels, particularly since Hudson’s character has lost both of her parents and Hathaway’s family is all she has left from her childhood.

I adore both actresses and have followed their successful careers; “Bride Wars” has me scratching my head in wonderment as to why either would waste their valuable time with such a lame project.  In particular, Anne Hathaway who was amazing in the wedding drama of the year “Rachael Getting Married” was also nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance. Hudson came on the scene in “Almost Famous” (2000) and was nominated for an Academy Award. Granted Hudson has stayed fairly close to the comedy genre, but this one isn’t funny, rather it’s heartrending.

Our sad comedy opens by introducing both characters and their opposite personas. Emma (Hathaway) is a mild mannered schoolteacher whose personality type is that of a follower and one that will say ‘yes’ to most requests; (even the dreaded task of extra bus duty at her school). Liv (Hudson) is a hotshot ‘go to’ lawyer with an alpha male personality. Their friendship is central to the story and is one in which most women can identify with–that fabulous, to die for, ‘best friend!’

The two have a long friendship which began at age six. Liv, loses her parents and Emma’s become her savior during this rough time. This is a strange part of the story that really doesn’t make sense; it only makes one sadder when the two girls have their falling out. Liv looses so much more than Emma during their icy cold war and it’s difficult to watch.

Candice Bergen co-stars as the highly sought after wedding planner whose assistant mistakenly books both of the girls weddings at the Plaza and on the same day in June. OMGosh!–What an unforgivable mistake, let’s just throw away our lifelong friendship and go our separate ways. Yes, the storyline is corny and really ridiculous at this point. After the lines are drawn in the sand, prickly, uncomfortable scenes begin to play out which is two-thirds of the movie.

The girls’ all out war to sabotage each other and ruin any plans related to their prospective weddings is really not funny. In fact, I found it depressing and unnerving. All I kept thinking about was my best friend (also named Sara) and how heartbroken I would have been in this out of control situation.

The Plaza Hotel location and the Vera Wang wedding dress are the real perks in this film.

Sarah Adamson © 2009