GIRL POWER

There's no use in overselling Paul Feig's hysterical new comedy Bridesmaids.  Funny is funny is funny is funny.  Yeah, fine, comedy is the most subjective genre, and what some people find funny others aren't remotely amused by; people still think I'm deranged for loving Observe and Report and finding Due Date funnier than The Hangover.  Kristen Wiig is one of the funniest people on the planet, a comedienne capable of going toe to toe with anyone, and in Bridesmaids, she owns the entire picture, which is no small feat considering the estimable company she find herself in.  Having co-written the script and taking on the lead role, Wiig's many contributions to this smart, warm, and occasionally filthy comedy can never be underestimated.  The terrific supporting cast is up to her every move, with Rose Byrne registering strongly as Wiig's main competition within the bridal party.  There are some awkward-funny moments between these two performers that are laugh until you cry funny.  Rehashing the plot isn't necessary -- if you've seen the trailer you know the broad strokes.  What I wasn't prepared for were the smarts in the screenplay department that Bridesmaids has up its sleeve, and how the film never went totally over the top.  Far removed from supposed "chick-flicks" (and pieces of garbage) like Sex and the City (the films, not the television series) and any movie starring Kate Hudson, Bridesmaids is a further reminder that female-oriented comedies can appeal to guys and never talk down to women.  The best part of the film is the honest emotion that Wiig and Feig are able to ring out of every scene, no matter how crazy the situation.  And Feig, being a veteran director of The Office, brings his considerable talent of underplaying comedy to the point of the dryest of humor.  This is one funny movie that will get better with repeated viewings.  I loved it.