My only real carp with Bridesmaids is that well, Wilson Phillips's "Hold On" has been used relatively recently, and to arguably better comic effect. If you recall, the first punchline is that the truck belonging to a group of racist, xenophobic bullies in fact contains a CD collection of female power anthems (which goes along with the whole 'don't judge a book by its cover' theme of the film). But the film raises that bit as the undeniably catchy "Hold On" becomes both a metaphor for the journey and a tool to heal the leads' damaged friendship. That Bridesmaids uses the same song for similar reasons (as a cheer-up power anthem) is a minor quibble. But I still wonder if anyone in the production actually mentioned the scene above. Surely the action climax of Undercover Brother, set to Michael Jackson's "Beat It" would have been that much funnier if Ben Stiller's Zoolander hadn't used the same song just six months earlier to superior comic effect. Of course, comparing Harold and Kumar Go to While Castle to Bridesmaids is no slam against the latter. I happen to think that Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle is the best comedy of 2000s and one of the best films ever made about race relations, ethnic identity, and the melting pot that is modern-day America. As for the sequel? Well, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle remains the best comedy of, well... you get the idea.
Scott Mendelson
Update - DVD Talk's Tyler Foster unearthed a clip from the end of the 2009 direct-to-DVD comedy Spring Breakdown which also climaxes with a group performance of "Hold On". I saw the movie once and wrote a brief mixed-negative review and have completely forgotten about it since then. Anyway, credit where credit is due (thanks for the tip, Mr. Foster, and thanks for reading), here is the (played pretty straight) clip.
Scott Mendelson
Update - DVD Talk's Tyler Foster unearthed a clip from the end of the 2009 direct-to-DVD comedy Spring Breakdown which also climaxes with a group performance of "Hold On". I saw the movie once and wrote a brief mixed-negative review and have completely forgotten about it since then. Anyway, credit where credit is due (thanks for the tip, Mr. Foster, and thanks for reading), here is the (played pretty straight) clip.
Nice point!
ReplyDeleteWas just talking with my sis about the scene in bridesmaids and how it didn't feel original...
I liked BridesMaid's for what it was, a female comedy that didn't suck but it loses BIG points for stealing this scene and then paying no homage to it.
Art theft is what this looks like to me.