[3]

Kirsten Dunst, Lizzy Caplan, Isla Fisher, and Rebel Wilson headline this flick written and directed by Leslye Headland (based on her stage play). It’s about three self-absorbed young women who somewhat reluctantly agree to be bride’s maids for a mutual acquaintance. Bachelorette is supposed to be a comedy, but it’s so darned mean-spirited and ugly, I had a hard time mustering any laughs. Am I really supposed to volunteer emotional investment for three characters who talk crap about the bride-to-be behind her back? They even make jokes about the poor girl’s weight. In fact, most of the movie is spent trying to repair the bridal gown after two of the women slip into the dress at the same time, tearing it right down the middle.

And if being backstabbers isn’t enough to make you hate these characters, you also learn that Caplan’s character is heavily into drugs. She overdoses and nearly dies and the whole affair is treated like, ‘Oh, that’s our silly Gena.’ There’s no conversation or fall-out from the incident. No drama, no catharsis. Then there’s a joke about missing someone’s abortion.

Maybe there’s a way to include issues like abortion and life-threatening drug abuse in a comedy, but Bachelorette‘s nonchalant attitude toward the issues left me feeling pretty disgusted.

With James Marsden and Adam Scott.