"Our advice: Take the girls - not the fiancé (unless he has a huge sense of humour) - because 'Bride Wars' is 2009’s 'Sex and the City'."

“Here come the girls”: Best of friends, expect when that one thing that drives all women (periodically) insane comes along, and begins with the ‘W’ word… Kate Hudson’s motion-picture producing debut that sees her co-star alongside ’screen best bud’ Anne Hathaway is a comfortable first project for an actress more than experienced in such feel-good and glam ‘Big-Apple comedies’ as How To Lose A Guy…. There are literally no surprises in this cutesy tale: the girls are gorgeous (whatever time of day), playtime is endless, and the drinks flow with equally-beautiful friends. It really is like watching another Sex and the City film at times. Basically, it’s what you expect with that happily-ever-after ending, which - sarcasm aside - is actually not a bad thing given today’s depressing economic climate. Just like last year’s SATC film, this is one for hoards of female pals to watch and identify with the situation of one or more of the women in it.

Admittedly, Hudson and Hathaway do their best to convince us of their characters’ lifelong, inseparable bond in the beginning, but some of the friendship-establishing moments seem a little rushed - a fault of the editing, or pressure to keep the film within 90 minutes, perhaps? The story appears to be in a great hurry to get to the ‘interesting’ part: the start of pre-wedding-day sabotage (which we won’t reveal because the trailer does it for us). That’s when the comedy takes off, save the one-line clincher from the shop assistant character who quite rightfully states: “…you don’t alter Vera (Wang) to fit you. You alter you to fit Vera”.

Bride Wars is a fashion parade in itself, but it also throws up all the wedding-day planning nightmares that some of us can relate to, and others have yet to ‘enjoy’. The male characters in the film do the graceful thing of bowing out of the main madness, merely supporting the oestrogen-fuelled frenzy before them (and us), plus grounding the proceedings wherever possible. But “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”, so stand back and watch the action unfold. The stage fully belongs to the girls and, although fictional, let it be an intriguing insight (or warning) for all male viewers who happen to see it, into the workings of the female mind after you’ve flashed that rock and committed yourselves for life.

Our advice: Take the girls - not the fiancé (unless he has a huge sense of humour) - because Bride Wars is 2009’s Sex and the City, without the Samantha sex, but lots of frocks, folly and fun. Just don’t expect anything unique to happen.

Synopsis

Liv (Kate Hudson) and Emma (Anne Hathaway), best friends since childhood, are always there for each other, through good times and bad. Even their respective bridal engagements happen within hours. Together they plan their weddings, each to take place at New York’s ultimate bridal destination, the Plaza Hotel. But a clerical error and subsequent clash in wedding dates pits the two brides against each other in a competition that quickly escalates into all-out war.

Film Facts

Official UK site: http://www.bridewarsmovie.co.uk/

UK Release Date: 9th January 2009

Director: Gary Winick

Writers: Greg DePaul, Casey Wilson

Cast: Kate Hudson (’Liv’), Anne Hathaway (’Emma’), Bryan Greenberg (’Nate’), Chris Pratt (’Fletcher’), Steve Howey (’Daniel’), Candice Bergen (’Marion St. Claire’), Kristen Johnston (’Deb’)

UK Distributor: 20th Century Fox

Certificate: PG

Run-time: 90 mins

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