Today’s quick review: Bride Wars. Ever since they were kids, Liv (Kate Hudson) and Emma (Anne Hathaway) have dreamed of getting married at the Plaza Hotel. Their dreams look like they are about to come true when their boyfriends (Steve Howey and Christ Pratt) propose within days of each other. But friendship turns to animosity when the wedding planner (Candice Bergen) accidentally books Liv and Emma’s weddings on the same day.
Bride Wars is a romantic comedy about two best friends who become bitter enemies when their dream weddings conflict with one another. Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway star as Liv and Emma, two very different women who don’t realize how much they need each other. In the months leading up to the big day, Liv and Emma try everything in their power to sabotage each other and make their own weddings as glamorous as they always dreamed.
Bride Wars is not high art, and it is not trying to be. The premise is contrived and relies on poor decision-making on both sides. But given its premise, the movie has a lot of fun. Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway are well-matched, the wedding sabotage is appropriately petty, and the movie even works in a pair of nice character arcs, where Liv has to learn to be less controlling and Emma has to learn to stand up for herself.
Bride Wars’ main failure is that it doesn’t leave enough time for its romantic relationships. Liv and Emma take center stage. Daniel (Steve Howey) and Fletcher (Chris Pratt) are afterthoughts. Ordinarily, this would be a reasonable choice for a movie about the brides, but the grooms have an important role to play later in the story, one that would have worked better with proper setup.
Bride Wars is a fun pick for anyone in the mood for some light bickering. The plot is a straightforward tale of a strained friendship, but the gags are pleasant, the cast is enthusiastic, and a few minor missteps do not hamper the movie too much. Fans of romantic comedies will get the most out of it, but anyone looking for a deep or insightful romance may want to steer clear.
For a comedy about the lead-up to a wedding from the perspective of the father, try The Week Of or either version of The Father of the Bride. For a comedy with a similar flavor involving a bride-to-be and her insufferable mother-in-law, try Monster-In-Law.
[5.5 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0901476/). I give it a 6.5 for breezy comedy without much substance.