Bridesmaids vs The Hangover
For this video, we're looking at a variety of cinematic elements that make both of these laugh riots memorable, deciding which one has the edge in each category to see which one catches the bouquet.
Round 1: Premise
“The Hangover” famously follows three guys who, after a night of drinks, discover that their friend Doug is nowhere to be found. To make matters worse, his wedding is just around the corner! The men are tasked with figuring out exactly what caused the insane scene they wake up to, including a missing tooth, and the unexplained presence of a tiger, a chicken, and a baby in their hotel room. This sends them on a series of hilarious misadventures throughout Las Vegas to find the groom before time runs out. “Bridesmaids,” on the other hand, takes a bit more of a concentrated approach to storytelling, focusing on Annie, a thirty-something woman struggling with an identity crisis at the same time she becomes her best friend Lillian’s maid of honor. Juggling these responsibilities with her personal problems proves difficult, particularly when her friendship with Lillian is threatened by newcomer Helen. Though there’s no doubt that “Bridesmaids” has enough laughs and character moments to rise above an admittedly basic plot, there’s no doubt that the zany, high-octane premise of “The Hangover” would make for a much better elevator pitch. Winner: “The Hangover” Bridesmaids: 0 / The Hangover: 1
Round 2: Writing
“The Hangover” was written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, the same minds behind “Bad Moms.” The pair would leave the trilogy after the initial installment, which may be to blame for the lukewarm reaction to its successors. Nevertheless, the movie has a whiplash pace and never lets up on the comedy. In fact, the co-writers earned a Writers Guild of America nomination for their work on the screenplay. In the other corner, Kristen Wiig was at the top of her game on “Saturday Night Live” when “Bridesmaids” came to theaters, resulting in a sleeper hit that changed the game for female-centric comedies. Wiig wrote the screenplay with Annie Mumolo, who cameos in the movie as a nervous woman on an airplane. Both women received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay and were praised for gracefully edging the line between pure ridiculous gross-out comedy and relatable conflicts with well-rounded characters. Both movies are absolute laugh riots, and the writing stands as a highlight of both films. However, while “The Hangover” can fade into the noise of a film industry dominated by “bro” comedies, “Bridesmaids” stands out as a modern comedic classic with smarter humor and good dose of pathos. Winner: “Bridesmaids” Bridesmaids: 1 / The Hangover: 1
Round 3: Celebrity Cameos
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The boys' mysterious night in Vegas turns out to be even more eventful than our protagonists first anticipated. As it turns out, they ran into several celebrities, including Carrot Top and Wayne Newton, who appear in the credits slideshow. The movie's director, Todd Phillips, also makes a brief appearance as “Mr. Creepy.” Most iconic, though, is Mike Tyson's appearance as himself, the owner of the mysterious tiger. Though Jon Hamm receives a decent amount of screen time as Annie's love interest, Ted, his role is still considered a cameo, since he isn't credited for his performance. Additionally, director Paul Feig appears in the wedding scene, and Terry Crews briefly plays Rodney, a fitness instructor. Most notably, the members of Wilson Phillips, whose song “Hold On” is featured heavily in the movie, appear at the wedding scene. This female-centric comedy wouldn't be complete without a legendary character actress cameo, and that role is fulfilled by Pat Carroll, whom you may know better as the voice of Ursula in “The Little Mermaid.” This one's a particularly tough call, and we just may have to settle for a tie - wait, what? Melissa McCarthy herself made a cameo in the third “Hangover” movie? Well, it seems that even the competitors couldn't resist getting in on the action here, so we'll give this one to the guys. Winner: “The Hangover” Bridesmaids: 1 / The Hangover: 2
Round 4: Characters
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We have “The Hangover” to thank for the launching of Zach Galifianakis’ film career, as he played the strange and eccentric Alan to perfection. Rounding out the trio are Phil, a self-centered stud with a heart of gold, and Stu, a high-strung and neurotic dentist who learns to live a little. Midway through the movie, Ken Jeong shows up as Leslie Chow, a borderline insane mobster who causes trouble for the Wolfpack, despite having a soft spot for them. Though these characters play off one another to fantastic result, one of the main criticisms of the film was that the characters were shallow and didn’t display any deep development. “Bridesmaids” is led by Kristen Wiig’s Annie, an insecure woman struggling to find her way. Wiig received a Golden Globe nomination for her lead performance, which is bolstered by a plethora of fun side characters, including cynical mother of three, Rita, and the idealistically naïve Kimmy Schmidt-er, Becca. The antagonistic Helen harbors the amiable bride-to-be Lillian, which causes the main conflict. As the movie progresses, these people are revealed to be much more complex, producing some dynamic, character-driven comedy. Of course, we can’t talk about these characters without mentioning the standout: Melissa McCarthy’s raunchy, confident, Oscar-nominated performance as Megan. As funny as they are, “The Hangover”’s immature characters are no match for the complicated, dynamic, and capably acted women of “Bridesmaids.” Winner: “Bridesmaids” Bridesmaids: 2 / The Hangover: 2
Round 5: Quotability & Memorable Moments
“The Hangover” was one of the biggest movies of 2009, so naturally it immediately entered our pop culture lexicon. From the scene of the men waking up to discover the mess they’ve made, to Stu’s realization that he married a stripper, to Alan’s perfect facial reaction to being tased in the face, there’s no shortage of memorable scenes. Besides that, nearly anything Alan says is instantly quotable, especially since the character himself is so fond of non-sequiturs. It’s hard to argue that Megan isn’t the true star of “Bridesmaids,” particularly since quotes such as, “I’m gonna climb that like a tree,” and, “I'm not even confident on which end that came out of,” will stick with the viewer long after the movie’s over. For better or worse, we could also never forget the dress-shopping scene gone horribly wrong. Rebel Wilson is also able to steal scenes with her limited screen time, but that isn’t to say that Kristin Wiig doesn’t get her share of memorable moments – like getting wasted on an airplane or engaging in a pathetic argument with a teenager, resulting in her firing. Both the absurdity and high quality of these comedies ensure that they will likely never be forgotten, but nearly every scene in “Bridesmaids” is filled to the brim with such gut-busting comedy that’s gotta take the cake. Winner: “Bridesmaids” Bridesmaids: 3/ The Hangover: 2 There you have it, folks. It appears that the women come out on top in this battle of modern classic wedding-themed comedies. Now if only we could get a trilogy for these kooky ladies. Do you agree with our outcome? Which movie do you think is funnier? For more awesome videos published every day, be sure to subscribe to MsMojo.
