Five out of Five stars
Running time: 125 mins

Impressively directed and brilliantly written, this is a consistently hilarious and superbly acted comedy that finally gives Kristen Wiig the lead role she deserves.

What's it all about?
Directed by Paul Feig, Bridesmaids stars Kristen Wiig (who co-wrote the script) as thirty-something Annie, who has taken a job in a jewellery store after the collapse of her bakery business and whose only romantic relationship consists of the occasional hook-up with non-commital Ted (Jon Hamm). When her best friend Lillian (Maya Rudolph) gets engaged, Annie is thrilled when she's asked to be the maid of honour, but she soon clashes with seemingly perfect fellow bridesmaid and rival Helen (Rose Byrne), who has her own ideas for Lillian's wedding.

After both the dress-fitting and the hen weekend go horribly wrong, Annie falls out with Lillian and is dropped from the wedding plans. On top of that, she loses her job and gets evicted from the apartment she shares with weirdo Brits (Matt Lucas and Rebel Wilson), though things perk up a bit when she meets local Milwaukee cop Rhodes (Chris O'Dowd).

The Good
Long-time Wiig-watchers have been waiting years for her to get the lead role she deserves, so it's a treat to see her finally handed a part worthy of her talents. She duly obliges with a terrific comic performance that takes in everything from physical comedy (her penis impression is an early highlight) to pratfalls (the drunk routine on the plane is hysterical) and a winning way with a sweary one-liner (the scene where she gets fired is a masterclass in how to use the C word and get away with it). Needless to say, she's also utterly adorable and has sweet chemistry with both Rudolph and O'Dowd.

The supporting cast is equally good, particularly Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Ellie Kemper (as the other members of the bridal party), while Byrne is superb, making Helen both surprisingly complex and quietly sympathetic, a nice change from the way the “scheming rival” character is usually played. Similarly, the emotional climax of the film centres on the importance of female friendship rather than on the standard romcom relationship, though the film plays it safe in that regard, just in case.

The Great
It's fair to say that Bridesmaids is not the female version of The Hangover seemingly promised by the trailer and posters; in fact, it's actually much funnier and is more like an American version of Bridget Jones. To that end, the script is genuinely hilarious, with every scene providing a decent laugh.

Worth seeing?
Bridesmaids is quite simply the funniest film of the year so far. Unmissable.