Bachelorette has the comedic wit of Mean Girls and the unapologetic crudeness of Bridesmaids, resulting in a refreshing spin on the female-centric indie comedy that doesn't take itself too seriously. The film was written and directed by Leslye Headland, based on her stage play of the same name, and produced by the /Funny or Die team of Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. The premise might seem familiar -- three thirtysomething women who became friends in high school, Regan (Kirsten Dunst), Gena (Lizzy Caplan), and Katie (Isla Fisher), celebrate the impending nuptials of a mutual pal -- but the movie quickly subverts expectations with its brutal honesty and hilariously modern balancing of sensitivity and humor.
The trio reunite for the wedding of former classmate Becky (Rebel Wilson), whom they mercilessly mocked back in school. Regan is an icy, overachieving control freak who secretly wishes she was the one getting married; Gena is a snarky, directionless misfit who's a closet romantic; and Katie is a ditzy party girl who loves the good life. Meanwhile, the bride-to-be is a quirky, overweight woman who's set to marry her Prince Charming, Dale (Hayes MacArthur), in the Big Apple, and asks her old tormentors to join the wedding party as bridesmaids. Although Regan is determined to give Becky an amazing bachelorette party, sharp-tongued Gena has already started partying hard well before the big night, and whimsical Katie seems to have her mind on other things. Later, the ladies cut loose, and when the booze begins to flow, a mishap with the wedding dress sends the entire event spiraling out of control, leading to a wild night of debauchery that none of them will ever forget.
Kirsten Dunst epitomizes the ice-queen persona by playing an entirely believable type-A maid of honor who's agitated that her "fat friend" is getting married before her. Lizzy Caplan brings a welcome sense of honesty to her character Gena, the introspective boho drug addict (she carries cocaine with her everywhere she goes), and she offers a wealth of self-indulgent cynicism. At the same time, Isla Fisher is simply riotous as the airhead who brings some much needed slapstick stylings to the film.
Headland clearly likes these characters, and though the movie slows down and takes a dip into melodrama near the end, she manages to close the film on a note that doesn't necessarily wrap everything up in a neat bow, but instead, concludes with some semblance of reality. Bachelorette is joyously awash with raunchy situations and refreshingly profane language, and it actually has a few things to say about female relationships.