Bride Wars [PG]

Emma and Liv have been best friends since childhood and have been there for each other through good times and bad. Both girls share a dream: to have June weddings at the Plaza. Within hours of each other, the two get engaged and the girls plan their perfect weddings together. But then, a critical error occurs in setting the dates with their perfect days being double booked, and this pits the girls against each other in a scrap that soon turns into a all-out war to ruin the other one’s special day. 

This movie came out after the success of 27 Dresses, when it seemed that marriage-themed comedies would become all the rage. I have to say though that this really is a sad and trying film that harbours little or no moments of comedy gold and the only thing that really kept it afloat was the performances and chemistry between the two leading ladies. Otherwise, Bride Wars was a mild and almost pointless film that I am fine to have seen once and once alone. 

Emma and Liv have been best friends since childhood and have been there for each other through good times and bad. Both girls share a dream: to have June weddings at the Plaza, the ultimate bridal venue. Within hours of each other, the two get engaged and the girls plan their perfect weddings together. But then, a critical error occurs in the date-setting, with their perfect days being double booked, and this pits the friends against each other in a scrap that soon escalates into an all-out war to ruin the other one’s special day. 

As I mentioned before, there is little to rave about in this film. The story is pretty mundane and predictable, the conflicts were neither funny nor dramatic, and the ending, although somewhat nice and warming, was really just fluff. It is possible to have too much sugar in your tea you know. The only thing that kept this movie afloat was the performances from the film’s heroines. 

Kate Hudson was really good at playing the aggressive, bitchy, and vane Liv, and watching her continuously nibbling on various eccentric treats was actually kind of funny. 

Anne Hathaway who played Emma was a little more reserved and, I think, struggled a little bit. I love Anne Hathaway, she has a natural flare that cannot be ignored and in this film she had to be more of a plain Jane, which is just not her. She played the part well enough and I still love her, but the character just wasn’t the best one for her. 

Starring Bryan Greenberg, Chris Pratt, Steve Howey, Kristen Johnston, Michael Arden, and Candice Bergen, Bride Wars was a trying film that was filled with catfights, nasty pranks, romance, sweets, and friendship. I’ll say that it’s worth watching, if you want an afternoon of mindless fluff, but it’s not a film that I would recommend or add to the collection.