  
Bride WarsMPAA Rating:
 for suggestive content, language and some rude behavior.Reviewed by: Mia J. Best Offensive
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience:
Adults
Genre:
Romance, Comedy
Length:
1 hr. 30 min.
Year of Release:
2009
USA Release:
January 9, 2009 (wide—3,000 theaters)
DVD: April 28, 2009  
Relevant Issues
How can I deal with temptations? Answer Should I save sex for marriage? Answer How far is too far? What are the guidelines for dating relationships? Answer 
Same story, different brides. Bride Wars is a predictable, clunky, cookie-cut comedy, which promotes the notion that the most important thing about a marriage is throwing a great party and calling it a wedding. Emma (Anne Hathaway) and Liv (Kate Hudson) have been best friends since childhood and have been obsessed with having June weddings at The Plaza Hotel in NYC. Having that dream wedding turns into a nightmare when their weddings are mistakenly booked on the same day at the legendary hotel. Bridal bliss is overtaken by villainous venom as the two lifelong pals become arch enemies. Bride Wars attempts to be both sentimental and poke fun at the commercialization of the wedding business, but overall it trivializes marriage and reinforces stereotypes of brides who morph into “Bridezillas” [enraged, emotional, out-of-control brides] when any detail of their nuptials is threatened. Emma and Liv attack one another’s wedding plans ferociously. Most of the comedy comes from laughing at the ridiculous scenarios they create for one another. They both resort to lying, stealing, and being verbally abusive to one another. The bible calls these actions the “works of the flesh” (Gal. 5:19-21) and lets us know we can choose not to follow those negative impulses. We are encouraged, rather, to follow the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:16-18, 22-26). The Bible also gives us a principle for handling offenses. It says we are to go to that person alone and point out the fault (Matt 18:15-20). Although this film is mild by Hollywood standards, from a biblical view the offenses are many and continuous throughout the film. To highlight a few, a bride is depicted as drunk at her reception, there is social drinking to the point of getting drunk, a strip club scene with sexually suggestive dancing and some nudity, and both of the main characters are living with their boyfriends prior to getting married. Profanity is scattered throughout film, and the name of the Lord is taken in vain liberally, at least twenty times. Overall, I do not recommend this movie, due to moral offenses and a poorly written, poorly acted story. Anne Hathaway’s acting talents manage to shine forth in this dull flick, but she cannot make up for the poorly written script or weak performance given by her co-star, Kate Hudson. Violence: Moderate / Profanity: Moderate / Sex/Nudity: Moderate See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.   Comments below:
Positive
Positive - I was thrilled with this movie! I spent 5 years working for a major motion picture studio in Hollywood as a Christian twenty-something, and I know what is out there and what is being made. I went to see this movie to enjoy a good chick flick comedy with another mom. We were not disappointed. This is not a Christian film, so of course it is not perfect—and as Christians we are not either. It is hard to expect perfection in a non perfect world. Neutral
Neutral - “Bride Wars” is a cute and fluffy chick flick about two girls who have been best friends their entire lives. Emma (Anne Hathaway) and Liv (Kate Hudson) both dream of the day when they will each get married and both decide that the only place to get married is at the Plaza in June. Negative
Negative - I was very disappointed in this film… What could have been a very cute portrayal of getting married and the chance of best friends date being the same, was so filled with language, drinking, immorality, suggestive dancing, inappropriate dress, etc. It was filled with at least 10 curse words, 1 taking God's name in vain. Both couples were living together before marriage and there was a lot of drinking and half-clothed people in it. Negative - I took my 12 year old daughter and friend to this movie, excited that it only had a PG rating. It should have had a PG-13 rating and then some. They both live with their boyfriend,s like it's the most common thing. Everyone has a drink in their hand, almost constantly. Very suggestive dancing and dress. Not the image of a wedding I want portrayed for my daughter. Negative - What a disappointment! This movie is just one more example of why we are seeing such a breakdown of marriage and family. As I sat in a theater, packed full of children and teenage boys and girls, I was filled with frustration at so many moral problems in this movie. Both main characters are living with their boyfriends at the outset of the film. Binge drinking is portrayed in a positive, “fun” light, Anne Hathaway (a school teacher mind you) is shown wearing cleavage-revealing clothing at work, Kate Hudson is shown traipsing around in her bra and underwear in front of her fiance, and then there's the strip club scene… I was embarrassed that I had brought my mother to see it! Negative - I was shocked this movie was rated PG not PG-13. I left ashamed that I had taken girls to see the movie and sad for everyone thinking they were going to see a cute PG movie. The Lord's name is used in vain several times, as well as other cussing throughout the movie. This movie was filled with so many drinking scenes. The two main characters are living with their boyfriends and shown in bed with them. The two main characters go to a strip joint where, again, everyone is drinking, and men are stripping and very suggestive dancing by the girls. One of the girls is at work hung over, in her suit without a shirt on, just her bra, trying to give a presentation. I have never sent in a movie review. I came home so upset about this movie that I wanted to send in a review and try to help get the word out, do not assume you are safe taking your children to a PG movie. Negative - I went to see this movie with a friend and was disappointed. As usual Hollywood is desensitizing us by what we take in. Both young ladies have been living with their boyfriend for 10 years and are finally getting married. Also, when they go out for fun, it's to go have drinks, because people can't have fun without alcohol. Those are just a few things I had issues with. Don't waste your money or your valuable time on this movie. Negative - This should have been PG-13! Couldn't believe the PG rating! There are numerous times foul language is used. They even manage to slip the term Mother *F* in, did they think by having Anne not fully say the word we wouldn't catch that? The strip club scene and bar scenes were too much! Very disappointing! What looks to be a pre-teen/teen friendly movie is not! I will not be recommending this film to anyone, so glad we didn't purchase it. Comments from young people
Negative - This was a disgusting movie. First of all, both of the “brides to be” sleep in the same bed every night with their boyfriends before they are married. Then, the scene at the bachelorette party was horrible. I mean, I guess it could have been worse, but men in tight underwear very suggestively dancing and then the two women having a “sexy” dance off was too much for me. Don't go see this—there were some good parts, but I don't even remember them. Positive - I couldn't wait to see this movie, and when I saw it, I loved it. I thought it was good, but again it should have been rated PG-13. I thought both girls acted well and played a good war, lol. I hate it when people criticize other people's acting; I mean, come on, you think you could do better; that's why they hired her! Well, overall, it was good.… Positive - This movie was… Negative - This movie had a good storyline but, there was profanity, the bachelorette party was extremely offensive, these couples lived together before they were married, and the spring break video was very offensive. I am only twelve, but if you are a Christian or even if you are not I would not reccomend you allow a child under the age of thirteen to watch this movie. Positive - “Bride Wars” is an extremely funny movie. There was no swearing, except using the Lord's name in vain, like once—I can't even remember. This movie would be best seen as a DVD, so when it comes to the Strip Club scene, you can fast forward it. It goes a bit over the top and kind of ruins the movie. There is just very suggestive dancing in that scene, but I think other than that, it is a sweet romantic comedy… Neutral - Although I thought this movie was a pretty good chick flick, I think it should have been rated PG-13 for showing the girls in bed with their boyfriends, the scene at the bachlorette party, all the drinking, and almost-f words (at least one frickin', and at one point Anne Hathaway exclaims “Mother F!”) Neutral - You know what? This movie was not so bad though there was some offensive language like *ss, calling women *itches, *amn, and I think I heard one sh*t. This film could have received a PG-13 rating. Yet, besides the cursing/swearing, this movie was okay to watch for its stupidity. |
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