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Bride Wars

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This article is about the 2009 American film. For the 2015 Chinese film, seeBride Wars (2015 film).
Bride Wars
Theatrical release poster
Directed byGary Winick
Screenplay by
Story byGreg DePaul
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyFrederick Elmes
Edited bySusan Littenberg
Music byEdward Shearmur
Production
companies
Distributed by20th Century Fox
Release date
  • January 9, 2009(2009-01-09)(United States)
Running time
89 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$30 million[1]
Box office$115.4 million[1]

Bride Warsis a 2009 Americanromantic comedyfilm directed byGary Winickand written by Greg DePaul,June Diane Raphael,andCasey Wilson.[2]Two childhood best friends, who have made many plans together for their respective weddings, turn into sworn enemies in a race to get married first.

The film starsKate HudsonandAnne Hathaway,withKristen Johnston,Steve Howey,Bryan GreenbergandCandice Bergenin supporting roles. It was theatrically released on January 9, 2009, by20th Century Fox.Though panned by critics, the film was a commercial success, grossing a worldwide total of $115.4 million against a production budget of $30 million. A Chinese remakeof the same namewas released in 2015.[3]

Plot[edit]

Emma Allan and Olivia "Liv" Lerner are childhood best friends. Ever since they witnessed a wedding 20 years ago at thePlaza Hotel,they have dreamed of holding their own June weddings there.

Liv's parents died when she was a child. She grows up to be a successful attorney atRopes & Gray.She's used to getting her way, and attempts to be perfect. Her boyfriend, Daniel Williams, is a hedge fund manager.

Emma becomes a middle school teacher who takes care of everyone, but sometimes forgets to take care of herself. Her boyfriend of ten years, Fletcher Flemson, is controlling, and takes advantage of her compliant, meek nature.

One day Emma and Liv find aTiffanybox concealed in Liv's closet. Both are excited, believing it means Liv's boyfriend Daniel is about to propose. But that night, it's Fletcher who proposes. Liv confronts Daniel at his office the next morning. It turns out he had planned to propose that night, but he then asks her on the spot.

Emma and Liv schedule a meeting with New York's most famouswedding planner,Marion St. Claire, who tells them there are only three spots open at The Plaza in June: two at the same time on June 6 and one on June 27. They each choose a different date so their big days will not clash. However, both are scheduled for June 6 by mistake.

They ask the third bride, Stacey, to switch her date with Emma, but she refuses. Liv fights with Stacey as she is registering for gifts, causing Liv and Emma to be escorted out of the store. After a week of passive-aggressive hostility, it is clear that neither will compromise.

The women declare war after a slight misunderstanding that Liv already announced her wedding date, outraging Emma who then sets her date as well, which Liv discovers at their shared bridal shower. They threaten and insult each other in front of their friends, who decide not to take sides.

Both attempt to sabotage the other's wedding. Liv changes Emma's dance instructor; Emma secretly sends Liv candy so her dress won't fit; Liv makes Emma's spray tan bright orange; Emma changes Liv's hair dye to a shocking blue; Liv registers Emma onBabies R Usand spreads rumors that she is pregnant; Emma shows up to Liv's invite-only bachelorette party and outdances her.

Emma and Fletcher argue over her behavior. Fletcher cannot accept her newfound outspokenness and self-confidence. In contrast, Liv has learned to be more sensitive and expressive and has drawn closer to Daniel. However, her stress about the wedding causes her demotion at work.

At the Plaza shortly before their ceremonies, Emma's father gives Liv his blessing, causing her to regret setting up a wild spring break DVD to play at Emma's ceremony. She sends her assistant Kevin to replace the DVD with the original one, filled with childhood memories. Believing it is a prank, he does not do it.

Before the brides enter their respective venues, they share a brief moment of reconciliation from afar, smiling at each other. Liv's smile is confident, but Emma's is tinged with tears, suggesting she is having second thoughts about her fiance.

Emma begins walking down the aisle but stops when the wild DVD is played. Losing it, she tackles Liv at her wedding on the other side. Wrestling in their dresses on the floor, they shock the guests.

Emma tells Fletcher she is not the same person he fell in love with 10 years ago. With that, they call off their wedding. Liv's wedding resumes after they reconcile. Emma, now Liv's maid of honor, later dances with Liv's brother Nate, a well-known magazine journalist.

A year later, Liv and Emma meet up for drinks, where it's revealed that Emma married Nate. She offers a toast to marriage but Emma says she's not drinking. When Liv says she's not either, they realise they are both pregnant and their due dates are the same: March 3. The best friends squeal with excitement and hug happily.

Cast[edit]

  • Kate Hudsonas Olivia "Liv" Lerner
    • Zoe O'Grady as Young Liv
  • Anne Hathawayas Emma Allan
    • Shannon Ferber as Young Emma
  • Kristen Johnstonas Deb Delgado, an obnoxious, lazy woman who is one of Emma's colleagues. She continually unloads her entire workload on Emma. She eventually becomes Emma's maid of honor. She is the one who suggested to Emma that she should fatten Liv with expensive chocolates, and other calorie laden treats.
  • Bryan Greenbergas Nathan "Nate" Lerner, Liv's brother who is in love with Emma.
  • Chris Prattas Fletcher Flemson
  • Steve Howeyas Daniel Williams
  • Candice Bergenas Marion St. Claire. She also serves as the narrator.
  • John Pankowas John Allan, Emma's dad.
  • Michael Ardenas Kevin, Liv's assistant at work, whom she recruits to be her "Mister of Honor." He gave Liv the suggestion that she should mess up with Emma's dance lessons by replacing her instructor with an eccentric one. He is seen getting romantically involved with Amie near the end of the film.
  • June Diane Raphaelas Amanda, a friend of Emma and Liv's who gets married, at the start of the film, but not at The Plaza Hotel, to Emma and Liv's horror. She is shown to be frank and expresses her regret in getting married in comical ways, ending with her getting a divorce by the end of the film.
  • Casey Wilsonas Stacy Kindred, the third bride.
  • Lauren Bittneras Amie, one of Emma and Liv's closest friends. She is seen getting romantically involved with Kevin near the end of the film.
  • Hettienne Parkas Marissa, one of Emma and Liv's closest friends.
  • Paul Scheeras Ricky Coo, dance choreographer
  • Dennis Parlatoas Dance Instructor
  • Billy Ungeras Additional voices
  • Colin Fordas Additional voices

Production[edit]

Raphael and Wilson completed the shooting script ofBride Wars,from an original screenplay byGreg DePaul,[4]before the2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strikebegan.[5]Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith also contributed to the screenplay.[2][5]

Some principal photography took place at the Peabody Essex Museum inSalem, Massachusetts.[6]Most filming occurred inBoston,New York City,and inSalem, Massachusetts.[citation needed]

Music[edit]

The score toBride Warswas composed byEdward Shearmur,who recorded his score with a 77-piece ensemble of theHollywood Studio Symphonyat the Newman Scoring Stage at20th Century Fox.[7]

In the beginning of the film, the song "Somethin' Special"byColbie Caillatwas played, however this version had different lyrics than the Beijing Olympic Mix, suggesting that it was the original mix. As the film did not have a soundtrack, the original version remained unreleased until Caillat's albumBreakthroughwas released, where the song appears as a bonus track on the Rhapsody edition.[8]There is also the song "Dream" byPriscilla Ahnand "Scared" by Duffy.

Reception[edit]

Box office[edit]

In its opening weekend, the film grossed $21.1 million, ranking at number 2 at the box office.[1]It went on to gross $58.7 million in the United States and Canada, $56.7 million in other countries, for a total of $115.4 million worldwide.[1]

Critical response[edit]

OnRotten Tomatoes,the film has an approval rating of 10% based on 146 reviews, with an average rating of 3.50/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "Bride Warstakes the already wearisome concept of battling bridezillas, and makes it thoroughly insufferable via a lazy script and wholly detestable characters. "[9]OnMetacriticthe film has a weighted average score of 24 out of 100 based on 30 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[10]Audiences polled byCinemaScoregave the film an average grade of "A–" on an A+ to F scale.[11]Timenamed it one of the top 10 worstchick flicksever made.[12]

Manohla DargisofThe New York Timescalled the film "dopey, if largely painless". She said that Hathaway's presence meant "that there's a little acting in it, along with a few human emotions" and wondered what the film might have been if the writers had explored a potentiallesbiansubtext suggested by the opening scenes.[13]Carrie Rickey ofThe Philadelphia Inquirerwrote, "How bad can a movie be, with Goldilocks Hudson and Cinderella Hathaway? So excruciating that Hudson's sunshine can't warm it and Hathaway's rose redolence can't mask its stink."[14]Ty Burr ofThe Boston Globewas disturbed by the film, claiming that it was "...a chick flick that makes its chick characters — and by extension its chick audience — look like hateful, backward toddlers, and there is something wrong with that."[15]

LongtimeBBC Radio 5 LivecriticMark Kermodewas notably harsh toward the film on hisKermode and Mayo's Film Reviewshow, going so far as to say that he would quit film criticism ifBride Warsdid not end up in his list of 10 worst films of 2009.[16]By the end of the year, even when Kermode includedTerminator SalvationandCouples Retreaton his list by popular demand,Bride Warsstill finished eighth, allowing him to keep his job.[17]

In one of the few positive reviews of the film,Timecritic Mary Pols wrote, "At least, and this is something to be grateful for,Bride Warsdeviates from the usual wedding-flick routine of maids of honor who should be the bride (or groom). And even though the catfighting goes over the top, the notion that a passionate female friendship can turn ugly in a heartbeat is, sadly, realistic. "[18]

Awards[edit]

The film was nominated for 2 awards at the2009 MTV Movie Awards:Best Fight (Anne Hathaway vs. Kate Hudson)[19][20]and Anne Hathaway for Best Female Performance.[21]It also had severalTeen Choice Awardnominations.[citation needed]Candice Bergenwas nominated for theRazzie Award for Worst Supporting Actressfor her performance in the film.[citation needed]

Won
Nominated

References[edit]

  1. ^abcd"Bride Wars (2009)".Box Office Mojo.Archivedfrom the original on 2018-11-01.Retrieved2009-05-26.
  2. ^abSiegel, Tatiana (April 6, 2008)."Bergen hitches" Bride "".Variety.Archivedfrom the original on November 10, 2020.RetrievedNovember 7,2020.
  3. ^Lee, Maggie (August 24, 2015)."Film Review: 'Bride Wars'".Variety.Archivedfrom the original on October 5, 2015.RetrievedOctober 10,2015.
  4. ^Fleming, Michael (November 12, 2006).""Bride" nears the altar ".Variety.Archivedfrom the original on 2020-07-30.Retrieved2020-09-04.
  5. ^abFleming, Michael; Tatiana Siegel (December 6, 2007)."Hathaway hops on" War "path".Variety.Archivedfrom the original on November 16, 2020.RetrievedNovember 7,2020.
  6. ^Cassidy, Chris; Tom Dalton (July 25, 2008)."Heard Around Town: The six degrees of Lizzie Borden".The Salem News.Eagle Tribune Publishing Company. Archived fromthe originalon December 6, 2008.Retrieved2008-08-09.
  7. ^Goldwasser, Dan (January 14, 2009)."Edward Shearmur scoresBride Wars".ScoringSessions.Archivedfrom the original on 2009-02-08.Retrieved2009-01-14.
  8. ^"Breakthrough".Rhapsody.Archivedfrom the original on 2009-08-24.Retrieved2010-02-21.
  9. ^"Bride Wars".Rotten Tomatoes.Archivedfrom the original on September 21, 2022.RetrievedSeptember 21,2022.
  10. ^"Bride Wars".Metacritic.Archivedfrom the original on September 17, 2020.RetrievedNovember 7,2020.
  11. ^"Brides Wars".CinemaScore.RetrievedFebruary 7,2023.
  12. ^Romero, Frances (May 26, 2010)."Top 10 Worst Chick Flicks - Bride Wars".Time.Archivedfrom the original on March 3, 2016.RetrievedMarch 28,2012.
  13. ^Dargis, Manohla(January 9, 2009)."Two Weddings and a Furor".The New York Times.Archivedfrom the original on January 16, 2009.RetrievedJanuary 11,2009.[I]t's too bad that [Winick] doesn't (or can't) venture down the more interesting avenues opened up in the screenplay... The opener — a gauzy scene from childhood that finds Liv and Emma, dressed as a bride and groom, tenderly dancing with each other — and an adult catfight, which looks like a prelude to a kiss, suggest that there may be more to this friendship (and the fury underlying its rupture) than either the women or the movie can admit.
  14. ^"Winsome Twosome Turns Gruesome".Philly.Archivedfrom the original on 2009-01-15.Retrieved2005-05-26.
  15. ^Burr, Ty (January 9, 2009)."Bride Wars Movie Review".Boston.Archivedfrom the original on 2009-02-16.Retrieved2009-05-26.
  16. ^"Mark Kermode threatens to quit over Bride Wars".January 9, 2009.Archivedfrom the original on 2009-06-26.Retrieved2009-05-26.
  17. ^Mark Kermode(30 December 2010).BBC Blogs - Kermode Uncut - The Bride Wars Challenge Divorce.Kermode Uncut.Archivedfrom the original on 9 November 2019.Retrieved20 December2019.
  18. ^Pols, Mary (January 8, 2009)."Bride Wars: One Bride Too Many".Time.Archived fromthe originalon August 26, 2013.RetrievedApril 26,2010.
  19. ^Sciretta, Peter (May 31, 2009)."2009 MTV Movie Awards Winners"./Film.Archivedfrom the original on November 26, 2023.RetrievedNovember 26,2023.
  20. ^"Best Fight".MTV.Archived fromthe originalon 2009-04-17.Retrieved2009-05-17.
  21. ^"Best Female Performance".MTV.Archived fromthe originalon 2009-05-28.Retrieved2009-05-17.

External links[edit]

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