“Bride Wars” is a good date movie or for a group of girlfriends, but its a must for brides and grooms-to-be !!

If you thought your wedding planning was overhwelming or hectic or frustrating or anxious or drove you a little batty… you probably never went through what friends Liv (Kate Hudson) and Emma (Anne Hathaway) go through on the way to the biggest day of their lives.

This movie has all the elements of a box office hit, “Bride Wars” should knock “Marley & Me” out of its two-week run at #1 at the box office.

In what is the best wedding comedy since “Father of the Bride” (1991), wedding dreams turn to wedding disasters for best buds Liv (Hudson) and Emma (Hathaway) who have been planning their perfect days ever since they were kids.   But all their problems can be blamed on each other because they undermine and sabotage each other’s weddings after they are double-booked for the same day at the hard-to-reserve location of their dreams.

This is more than friendly competition, “Bride Wars” perfectly (with some exaggeration) captures how planning a wedding can make the bride-to-be crazy… with one exclaiming “Your wedding better watch it” to the other, than later one bride gets blue hair, the other an orange spray-on tan as they dial up the pranks on each other.

Candice Bergen has a good supporting role as Marion St. Claire, the most sought-after wedding coordinator in Manhattan… Kristen Johnston plays a boozed up fluze fellow teacher to Hathaway… and it was nice to see John Pankow again, he played Ira Buchman, Paul’s cousin on “Mad About You”. 

THE BOTTOM LINE: “Bride Wars” is not just about the matrimonial adversaries, its infused with comedy throughout, with little jokes like how getting married impacts single friends, a bride-to-be dance-off, and more… I give it 7.5 out of 10.   Sure the ending is a little predictable, but for what this movie is and isn’t trying to be, its worth the price of admission.  And I even look forward to the possible sequel that the ending left as a possible option… or just ironic end to a good movie.

 “Bride Wars”

(2009) (rated: PG for suggestive content, language and some rude behavior) (1 hr, 34 min)

Starring: Kate Hudson, Anne Hathaway, Bryan Greenberg, Chris Pratt, Steve Howey, Candice Bergen, Kristen Johnston, Michael Arden, John Pankow, Casey Wilson

Director: Gary Winick – “Charlotte’s Web” (2006), “13 Going on 30″ (2004)

Genre: Comedy/Romance/Wedding

The Plot: Two best friends become rivals when they schedule their respective weddings on the same day.

So what did you think?  Please post a comment!

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“Bride Wars” poster courtesy Regency/20th Century Fox

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