Bachelorette

Bachelorette wants to be the female version of The Hangover, or a much rowdier version of Bridesmaids, but unfortunately if fails on both attempts. While the cast is winning, the overall despicable nature of the characters set it apart from Bridesmaids, where everyone was sort of loveable, and the fact that the jokes fail more times than they succeed set it apart from the hilarious Hangover.

Bachelorette opens with a friendly lunch between Regan (Kirsten Dunst) and Becky (Rebel Wilson). Regan is waxing poetic about how great her life is: she works with children with cancer, she dates a doctor, she's blonde and gorgeous and skinny and ultimately seemingly has the best life ever. Then Becky drops the bomb. She's getting married... before Regan... to a super hot, rich guy. Regan is floored, but her raging jealousy doesn't get in the way of her type A personality in which she needs to control everything and ultimately spends six months planning a fairytale wedding. Fast forward to the night before the wedding, when Regan and Becky are joined by their other two besties from high school - Gena (Lizzy Caplan), a snarky cynic whose life is ultimately a big huge mess, and Katie (Isla Fisher), who does A LOT of cocaine. I mean, A LOT. While at the rehearsal dinner, Katie is more concerned with drinking and doing cocaine, while Gena is concerned with the one who got away. Clyde (Adam Scott) broke her heart in high school and neither one of them really ever got over it. The post-rehearsal dinner bachelorette party hits the skids when the hired stripper accidentally calls Becky "Pig Face" (her high school nickname). Becky gets upset, calls the whole party off and heads to bed. This leaves Regan, Gena and Katie alone with lots of drugs and alcohol and a wedding dress which they ultimately destroy and then spend the rest of the night trying to fix in time for the early morning wedding.

If this movie works at all, it's because of the cast, which is phenomenal. Kirsten Dunst is great as the control freak who wants to help her friend plan the perfect wedding, but doesn't want it to be too perfect, because she's not-so-quietly wishing this was her wedding instead. Isla Fisher is hilarious as the dumb party girl friend who, despite all her faults, has a heart of gold. Adam Scott, who I love so much, is fantastic as the object of Gena's affection. Rebel Wilson is great, but her part is unfortunately too small. I wish the movie had more of her, because she is arguably the only likeable character in the whole film. But the true stand out of the cast, for me, was Lizzy Caplan, who plays dark and damaged and cynical so, so, so very well.

Like I said, it's raunchy and wants to be The Hangover, but it's not nearly funny enough. There are a few funny parts but ultimately, most of the jokes fall short. Also, it doesn't have near enough heart to be like Bridesmaids, which succeeded because it was a very funny movie that celebrated female friendship. These girls are the ultimate mean girls, jealous, insecure and in constant need of putting someone down (in this case, the overweight bride who doesn't feel good enough for her hottie fiancee). While you do get a sense that these girls care about each other a little bit, they ultimately are terrible people who you really can't believe care that much about anything besides themselves.

Grade: C+