Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.

Bride Wars bills itself as a romantic comedy.  Indeed, there are a few funny scenes.  And, revolving around two weddings, there is a touch of romance.  But it fails for one reason: no one would behave the way the two main characters behave.  At least I certainly hope that's the case.

Liv and Emma (Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway) are lifelong best friends who grew up dreaming of their future weddings - June, at the Plaza.  Naturally, they both get engaged around the same time and set out to reserve their weddings.  They both work with a wedding planner (Candice Bergen), and choose two dates a couple weeks apart.  They're thrilled!  They'll both get to be in each other's dream weddings.

But an administrative glitch books their weddings for the same day.  Now the girls are faced with a dilemma.  One of them can pick a different month, or a different venue, or they can make their wedding a double.  But, apparently, none of these options was acceptable.  Instead they do what any two rational best friends would do: they argue, fight, stop speaking to each other, and ultimately attempt to sabotage the other's special day.     

For the next hour, we watch them try to hurt each other, in a series of escalating pranks.  They'll sneak around town sabotaging the other's efforts.  One will end up orange after a mix up at a tanning salon.  One will end up with blue hair.  And so on.  Yes, some of this was funny.  I thought it particularly humorous when one couple has their dancing lesson compromised.  However, many of the "pranks" were truly hurtful, and I found myself angry at these antics, rather than laughing at them. 

Mostly I just kept thinking how utterly ridiculous these two ladies were behaving.  To me, a double wedding with my best friend would have been an ideal solution.  The reasons offered why this was not acceptable, most particularly to Emma, were completely ridiculous.  This movie shows women at their worst - putting their dreams for a perfect wedding above everything else that's truly important in life.  They were actually willing to ditch a twenty year old friendship rather than share their day! 

Other than the ridiculous premise, the movie does have its enjoyable moments.  There are a few laughs, and a few tender moments.  The performances from the two leads were pretty good.  I was happy to see John Pankow (Mad About You) as Emma's father, even though his role was very small.  As for Candice Bergen, she was sleep-walking through her role.  I think she was wondering why she signed on for this project. 

I suppose some people will enjoy this movie - with its crazy women and crazy antics.  But I found it trite, and a bit of an embarrassment for the stars. 

Recommended: No