Crude but sincere comedy about friendship and confidence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Bridesmaids is an over-the-top comedy that shows how two friends, Annie (Kristen Wiig) and Lillian (Maya Rudolph), cope when their lives are upended by Lillian's impending wedding. It has risque humor, plenty of sex talk, and a couple of sexual scenes with moaning and groaning (no nudity is shown). Raunchy toilet humor includes the consequences of some unintentional food poisoning, and fart jokes. Cartoonish violence turns a tennis match into a full-on fight. Characters swear ("f--k," "c--t," "goddamn," etc.) and drink, sometimes to the point of getting drunk. But they also come together and shed insight on female friendships and adult relationships.
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Language
a lot
Strong, frequent language includes "f--k," "motherf-----g," "s--t," "ass," "a--hole," "goddamn," "damn," "oh my God" (as exclamation), and "hell." Sexual language also includes "c--k," "c--t," "d--k," "balls," and "f--k buddy." A woman is called a "whore." Innuendos such as "I'm going to climb that like a tree," "greets them beaver first," "put your American sausage in my English muffin," etc.
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Lots of champagne- and wine-swilling at events, sometimes to excess. A woman gives a friend prescription drugs to calm her nerves during a flight, which she combines with hard alcohol—to detrimental effect, played for comedy.
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The movie opens with an energetic, loud sex scene that's played for humor—no sensitive body parts are shown, but the naked side of a man's body implies nudity, and the woman wears a bra and underwear. Lots of moaning and groaning. A man squeezes a woman's breast through her bra and talks about having "f--k buddies." A couple is shown making out and trying to rip each other's clothes off; later, one of them wakes up in bed covered by a sheet (nudity implied). Two characters bathe together in their underwear. Another propositions strangers, sometimes crudely. A woman takes off her top to get a man's attention (bare shoulders shown). Characters kiss, and there's plenty of sexual innuendo/talk; a woman pretends to give a blow job.
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Visible brands include Harley-Davidson, Payless ShoeSource, Maury, and Gold Medal flour. Guest performance by Wilson Phillips.
Violence & Scariness
very little
Reckless driving. A character acts wildly at a bridal shower, attacking the decorations and the cake and upending tables. A medicated airplane passenger causes a commotion that drives a federal marshal to action. Discussion about where to stash a gun. During a tennis match, balls are purposefully lobbed into opponents' breasts to cause pain. Characters get food poisoning, begin to sweat, and panic to find a restroom. All of this is played for humor.
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Good friendships don't come often, so cherish them. Unfortunately, the film also implies that women aren't valuable without a man by their side.
Positive Role Models
a little
Though they lose sight of what's important for a bit, Annie and Lillian ultimately have each other's backs. For most of the movie, Annie is very hard on herself and lets life get her down, but she finds her way back to a positive attitude. Megan is a strong, can-do woman; she's crude, but she's also the most confident character of the bunch. There's jealousy and competition among the women, but much of it is eventually addressed in a mature way. The two main male characters are polar opposites; one is a shallow, callous jerk (and is clearly intended to be seen that way), while the other is sweet and supportive.
Diverse Representations
a little
The all-female main cast is led by Annie, who's White, and Lillian, who's biracial Black and White. Many scenes show Lillian's African American family members. They're wealthy and classy, doting on her at every turn. But the ensemble of women falls into some harmful stereotypes: For instance, there's the ditzy, sex-driven blonde, and the fat friend who's clumsy and whose weight/perceived attractiveness are often the butt of the joke. A police officer with a larger body type is also the laziest employee. Ethnic stereotypes include a White character getting a tattoo of a "Mexican drinking worm" that wears a sombrero and holds two glasses of beer, an "authentic Brazilian restaurant" that gives everyone food poisoning, and two White characters trying to out-toast each other by speaking Thai and incorrect Spanish. The film also sends the message that women need to have a romantic partner to be happy (one character remarks that single women are seen as "prostitutes"). While the film wants to hammer home the idea that female friendships are vital, it's undermined by everyone's need to have a husband. Behind the camera, the film was written by two White women, with a White male director.
Parents say this film is filled with raunchy humor that leaves little to the imagination, featuring explicit jokes and plenty of crude language, which many reviewers feel make it unsuitable for younger viewers. While some find it hilariously entertaining, with memorable scenes and strong performances, others criticize its excessive vulgarity and string of sexual innuendos, believing it detracts from the story's potential depth.
raunchy humor
unsuitable for kids
strong performances
mixed reviews
memorable scenes
Summarized with AI
age 14+
Based on 83 kid reviews
Kids say the movie is a hilarious comedy that is best suited for older teens due to its crude humor and strong language. Many reviews indicate that while the film delivers laughs and has a great storyline about friendship, it contains inappropriate content, such as sexual references and heavy swearing, making it unsuitable for younger audiences.
hilarious comedy
inappropriate content
strong language
older teens recommended
friendship themes
crude humor
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Annie (Kristen Wiig) and Lillian (Maya Rudolph) have been friends forever. So when Lillian announces that she's engaged, Annie is happy to serve as not only one of her BRIDESMAIDS, but as the maid of honor. Still, Annie can't help but feel some pain knowing that her best friend is moving in a new direction while she's still single, sharing an apartment with two odd roommates and working a job she doesn't want because her dream bakery went belly up. Even the guy she likes (Jon Hamm) only considers her his "number 3" option. Change needs to happen, and soon—because if Annie doesn't shape up, she may lose her title as Lillian's bestie to rich, polished Helen (Rose Byrne), who's on the hunt for a new BFF. And the sweet state patrol officer (Chris O'Dowd) who shows Annie that she deserves better in love and life may decide to take a hike, too.
Smart, irreverent, and funny, this is the female-centric buddy comedy that audiences have begged for. Bridesmaids has both biting humor and a warm heart, reminding us of the value of true, enduring friendships—and that we have the power to wriggle our way out of the toughest spots if we let others help. Most of all, it asks us to choose to help ourselves.
Like many comedies, especially edgy ones, not all the gags have withstood the test of time. Weight jokes and toilet humor about "foreign" cuisine causing food poisoning will cue eye-rolling sooner than chuckles. But with female ensembles still sorely lacking among major studio releases, Bridesmaids raucously celebrates its funny women, all of whom have gone on to impressive filmographies.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the humor in Bridesmaids. Did you find it funny? If so, what were your favorite gags? Does the comedy differ from other ensemble comedies you've seen? What's similar, and what's different?
How does this movie compare to others about weddings? What role does the media play in portraying the role of weddings in American culture? Do you agree with how weddings are shown in TV and movies, or does reality differ?
How does the movie portray female friendships? Does it seem realistic? Have you ever gotten caught up in a friendship drama like the one between Annie, Lillian, and Helen? What happened?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.