Blended (2014)

4/5

What bizarro universe have I entered where I suddenly find chick flicks to be genuinely good? Blended is another recent unexpected delight, a satisfying romantic comedy filled with humor and heart. It follows two single parents (Sandler, Barrymore) who unexpectedly fall in love during a trip to Africa focused on "blending" non-traditional families. It adds in parenting challenges and family values to a tired and predictable formula, but for some reason that does the trick. Blended is an absolutely wonderful experience.

To be honest, I pretty much hate all Adam Sandler movies without exception. Blended is the rule-breaker (just like Stranger Than Fiction was for Will Ferrell). This is not a Sandler "vehicle," and because of that he is fantastic in this movie as a regular dad struggling to raise three girls. Drew Barrymore is her same lovable self, which can certainly feel old and boring if you're not a fan, but it works for me. I love the film's perspective: kids come first 100% of the time. For some reason it really resonated with me, as I'm sure it will for a large number of its intended viewers. The movie has some great comedic one-liners (although it also has a good number of cringe-worthy moments that fall flat on their face) with a strong emotional tug. No, it's not particularly well-shot or tightly-edited, but it has a solid story and solid performances and that makes for solid entertainment.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1086772/

Bridesmaids (2011)

4/5

Bridesmaids is easily the funniest movie I've seen this year. Like Knocked Up and The Hangover, the humor is raunchy bordering on vulgar. And best of all, it is non-stop. The movie is about preparing for a wedding. More specifically, it is about how all the pre-wedding traditions (dress-fitting, bridal shower, bachelorette party) get butchered by the maid of honor. Annie (Wiig) is the awkward but kindhearted best friend, too exaggerated to be a real person but genuine enough that her downfalls can pull at your heartstrings. Lillian (Rudolph) is the bride-to-be, caught between the nostalgia of her humble past and the allure of a lavish wedding. Annie is, of course, the maid of honor, but after a few botched jobs, the friends have a falling out and Lillian's new best friend Helen (Byrne) takes over the wedding planning.

I neglected to mention the rest of the cast, all unique and memorable. But the one that stands out the most is the groom's sister Megan (McCarthy). She is amazing. She carries the humor and the heart in this movie as much as Kristen Wiig does. She absolutely blew me away. Her character and her portrayal adds a whole new dimension to the movie that elevates this film above most other modern comedies. I loved her.

As for the technical aspects of the movie, I was impressed that the cinematography and editing was not terrible, but not actually impressed with it at all. The writing, as you can tell by my profuse praise of the comedy in the film, is right on point. The actors add impeccable timing to make this film a riot. The story is a good length and it touches on some finer points of friendship and female-female interactions that I didn't think it would touch on. When it comes to movies, Bridesmaids has just about the whole package. I recommend it 100%.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1478338/