Bridesmaids

Veteran comedy producer Judd Apatow and director Paul Feig team up for this lewd, crude comedy that plays like a female version of The Hangover. After lovelorn, failed bakery-business-owner Annie (Kristen Wiig) is asked to be maid-of-honor by best friend Lillian (Maya Rudolph), she becomes immersed in the frenzied rites preceding the nuptials, including getting to know the other bridal party attendants (Ellie Kemper, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Melissa McCarthy). Above all, there's Helen (Rose Byrne), the scheming, well-to-do wife of the groom's boss, whom Annie fears will soon replace her as Lillian's new BFF. Jealousy rears its head in a spectacularly ugly fashion in a series of set pieces that range from wackiness on a flight to Las Vegas for a planned bachelorette party, to an unsavory bout with food poisoning that includes inopportune curbside defecation. Many improvisational moments are added to the ribald, almost sitcom-like script co-written by Wiig and Annie Mumolo. The late Jill Clayburgh makes her final screen appearance as Annie's well-meaning mom, while Chris O'Dowd scores as an Irish-accented highway patrolman. Sharp yet sweet, this bawdy comedy is recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary (by director Paul Feig, cowriter Annie Mumolo, and costars Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey, and Ellie Kemper), outtakes (12 min.), alternate and extended scenes (9 min.), deleted scenes (8 min.), a gag reel (4 min.), a brief “Cholodecki's Commercial” promo, and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are more extended and alternate scenes (40 min.), a behind-the-scenes featurette (32 min.), a “Cholodecki's” section with additional featurettes on the fictional store (24 min.), a “Roommates” section with additional scenes and featurettes (19 min.), “Annie vs. Helen” outtakes (8 min.), “Annie's Blind Date with Dave” with Paul Rudd (7 min.), an extended gag reel (5 min.), “Drunk-O-Rama” outtakes (5 min.), a “Hold On” music video by Wilson Phillips and the cast, bonus DVD and digital copies of the film, and the BD-Live function. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a winning comedy.] (S. Granger)