‘A New Feminist Revolution in Hollywood Comedy’?: Postfeminist Discourses and the Critical Reception of Bridesmaids

Abstract

Despite being one of the most ‘enduring cinematic genres’1 in Hollywood s history, the romantic comedy or rom-com has struggled to gain the cultural legitimacy accorded to many other (‘masculine’) Hollywood genres. However, in 2011 the female-fronted ensemble comedy Bridesmaids (Feig, 2011) received widespread critical and commercial success across the United States and Great Britain. Saturday Night Live (1975–) regular Kristen Wiig leads the cast as Annie, a 30-something single woman dealing with the aftermath of a failed business venture and break-up while preparing for the impending nuptials of her best friend. The film follows Annie as she struggles to perform her duties as maid of honour with a group of ‘misfit’ bridesmaids. As with many other ‘chick flicks’, the narrative is preoccupied with traditional ‘feminine’ themes such as female work, friendship and romance; themes which often secure the rom-com as a critically maligned genre. Yet, Bridesmaids escapes such censure. The film out-performed producer Judd Apatow’s back catalogue (including The 40 Year Old Virgin [2004], Knocked Up [2007] and Funny People [2009]) at the box office and found itself the cause of much celebration among film critics.2 Indeed, in response to claims that Bridesmaids is the ‘female equivalent of The Hangover (Phillips, 2009), the Washington Post remarks that, ‘with any justice, its smarter — if equally silly and scatological — sister will earn pay equity and then some at the box office’.3