Claire Folger/ 20th Century FoxReview in a Hurry: Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson duke it out in a battle for the ages—the Dark Ages, that is. Some cute rom-com moments about bridal hysteria die in the face of absurdly outdated notions.
The Bigger Picture: Even the most levelheaded girls go a little crazy when they plan a wedding—it's nearly impossible not to. When bestest friends Liv (Hudson) and Emma (Hathaway) plan theirs, they go ballIstic. Both grew up dreaming of their big day, a June wedding at New York City's Plaza Hotel, as each other's maid of honor.
Due to a snafu, their weddings fall on the very same day. Neither will budge. Pranks and sabotage ensue, with the high priestess of wedding planning, Marion St. Claire (Candice Bergen), observing and narrating all.
The yawn-inducing antics are one thing; yet another is the silly theme that women are desperate to be engaged and married. Sure, the urge to settle down, to commit, is real and valid; but there's actually a character here who states that a woman's expiration date is 30. Really? What is this, 1952? We've come a long way, baby—why haven't our comedies?
Bride Wars could have been a clever, incisive satire of the bloated and maddening wedding industry; unfortunately it takes an old-fashioned stance far out of place in this modern world. Instead of including women in on the joke, the movie talks down to them.
The 180—a Second Opinion: Hudson and Hathaway manage to string a thread of emotion and sympathy throughout their performances. Somehow, Liv and Emma remain likable, no matter how badly they behave.