'Bride Wars' review

Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway (Credit: Claire Folger/20th Century Fox)

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Lawyer/major tightass Liv (Kate Hudson) and middle school teacher/total pushover Emma (Anne Hathaway) have been inseparable for 20 years while sharing the plan to get married in June at New York's Plaza Hotel. But a stubborn contest breaks out when a mix-up lands the BFFs' weddings on the same day and neither will budge on the date or place. The result: Both become Bridezillas and Friendzillas in an attempt to sabotage the other's matrimonial plans, whether by stealing her DJ, ruining her hair or making her too fat to fit into her dress.

The buzz: Granted, I am not a woman and not the film's target demo, and I know that weddings are stressful and important. But it seems like both women and men would prefer wedding movies that don't suggest that brides are irrational lunatics—or at least something with more sincerity than recent junk like "Made of Honor" and "27 Dresses." Side note: Hathaway clearly has a thing for wedding movies, after last year's "Rachel Getting Married" and "The Fiance," which is set for 2010.

The verdict: Mean instead of funny, loud instead of clever and shrill instead of romantic, "Bride Wars" is far more familiar with—and cause for—tantrums than celebrations. Hathaway helps Emma remain recognizable as a human, but Hudson's performance is so distractingly rigid you'd think she were impersonating Keanu Reeves in "The Day the Earth Stood Still." "Bride Wars" should make viewers feel better about people and friendship and love, so why does this drivel make us so depressed?

Did you know? When Liv shows up at her boyfriend's office, one of his co-workers remarks how much he loves "Bring Your Hot Girlfriend to Work Day." In these tough economic times, this may soon be Plan E at companies needing a last-ditch effort to boost efficiency.

Video: Watch Matt's review of 'Bride Wars'

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