Bridesmaids

In this whip-smart rite-of-passage comedy, Kristen Wiig stars as Annie, a failed-to-launch thirtysomething. Perennially broke, she has an awful job, horrendous roommates, and a self-absorbed beau who's brilliantly played by Jon Hamm. Her only solace in life is her tight-knit bond with her childhood friend Lillian (Maya Rudolph), but even this is threatened when Lil gleefully announces she's engaged. Soon Annie finds herself competing for her best bud's attention against a devastatingly perfect and posh bridesmaid (Rose Byrne). The pair plays a biting game of one-upmanship that results in mounting sequences of riotous slapstick as Annie's anxieties lead to a total meltdown. Also featured is a bevy of sidesplitting supporting performances from the likes of Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper, unabashed scene-stealer Melissa McCarthy and Chris O'Dowd, who serves as Wiig's sweet, yet sexy, love interest in a romantic plotline that reinforces rather than overtakes her character arc. Typical of a Judd Apatow production, Bridesmaids runs a little long, but ultimately delivers a poignant character-driven tale of self-discovery peppered with blistering wit and topped with a gross-out bit so shocking/hilarious that it will have tongues wagging long after the credits have rolled.