Bride Wars (2009)

User Rating:

5.0/10   

Director:

Gary Winick

Writers (WGA):

Greg DePaul (screenplay) and
Casey Wilson (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

9 January 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Even best friends can't share the same wedding day.

Plot:

Two best friends become rivals when they schedule their respective weddings on the same day.

Plot Keywords:

Wedding | Wedding Party | Best Friends | Plaza Hotel | School Teacher

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Kate Hudson	...	Liv
Anne Hathaway	...	Emma
Bryan Greenberg	...	Nate
Chris Pratt	...	Fletcher
Steve Howey	...	Daniel
Candice Bergen	...	Marion St. Claire
Kristen Johnston	...	Deb
Michael Arden	...	Kevin
Victor Slezak	...	Colson
Kelly Coffield	...	Kathy (as Kelly Coffield Park)
John Pankow	...	John
Zoe O'Grady	...	Young Liv
Shannon Ferber	...	Young Emma
June Diane Raphael	...	Amanda
Charles Bernard	...	Wedding DJ
Emily Sarah Stikeman	...	Student #1
Robert Capron	...	Student #2
Kallie Mariah Tabor	...	Student#3
Bruce Altman	...	Simmons
Hettienne Park	...	Marissa
Lauren Bittner	...	Amie
Jeremy Brothers	...	Nerdy Colleague
Rena Maliszweski	...	Female Colleague
Casey Wilson	...	Stacy
Sarah Kate Jackson	...	Salesgirl
Jason Kolotouros	...	Delivery Guy
Paul Scheer	...	Ricky Coo
Andre Holland	...	DJ Jazzles
Kristofer L. Stock	...	Officer 'Not Your Husband'
Anna Madigan	...	Tanorexic
Daniel Raymont	...	Colorist
Jonathan C. Daly	...	Head Set (as Jon C. Daly)
Dennis Parlato	...	Dance Instructor
Georgia Lyman	...	Airbrush Technician
Ryan A. Shaw	...	Singer
Derek Yuen	...	Hair Stylist
Eryn Gruttadauria	...	Locker Student
Nicole Stuart	...	Receptionist
Kayce Brown	...	Bespectacled Colleague
Manuel Lopes	...	Miguel
Rob Wilson	...	Rob
Pamela Figueiredo	...	Pamela
Ryan Young	...	Head Set #2 (as Ryan B. Young)
Hannah Yun	...	Head Set #3
Sam Pannier	...	Stationery Clerk
Ariel Shafir	...	Security Guard
Steve Alterman	...	Additional Voice (voice)
Darian Bryant	...	Additional Voice (voice)
Kathryn Cressida	...	Additional Voice (voice)
Jennifer Crystal	...	Additional Voice (voice) (as Jennifer Crystal Foley)
Colin Ford	...	Additional Voice (voice)
Elisa Gabrielli	...	Additional Voice (voice)
Zolee Griggs	...	Additional Voice (voice)
Kerry Gutierrez	...	Additional Voice (voice)
Gina Hirsch	...	Additional Voice (voice)
Bridget Hoffman	...	Additional Voice (voice)
Karen Huie	...	Additional Voice (voice)
Matthew Laborteaux	...	Additional Voice (voice)
Mary Matilyn Mouser	...	Additional Voice (voice) (as Mary Mouser)
Paul Pape	...	Additional Voice (voice)
Cassidy K. Rawlinson	...	Additional Voice (voice)
Zoë Raye	...	Additional Voice (voice)
Michelle Ruff	...	Additional Voice (voice)
Justin Shenkarow	...	Additional Voice (voice)
Dennis Singletary	...	Additional Voice (voice)
Karen Strassman	...	Additional Voice (voice)
Laura Summer	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Hudson Thames	...	Additional Voice (voice)
Billy Unger	...	Additional Voice (voice)
Claudette Wells	...	Additional Voice (voice)
Lynnanne Zager	...	Additional Voice (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stephen DiCenzo	...	Champagne Waiter
Jacqueline Piñol	...	Additional Voice (voice)
Michael Anastasia	...	Geeky Neighbor (uncredited)
Dale Appel	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Ellen Becker-Gray	...	Fletcher's Aunt at Wedding (uncredited)
Leigh Belair	...	Wedding guest (uncredited)
Nicholas Cairis	...	Taxi driver (uncredited)
Patrick Canty	...	Daniel's Best Man (uncredited)
Desiree April Connolly	...	Wedding Guest / Teacher (uncredited)
Nicki Connors	...	Marion's Assistant (uncredited)
Michael Anthony Coppola	...	Daniel's Father (uncredited)
Richard DeAgazio	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Sean Patrick Doherty	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Sari Gagnon	...	Bachelorette (uncredited)
Albert Gornie	...	Wedding guest (uncredited)
Dane Grigas	...	Sales Clerk (uncredited)
Sophya Gudelman	...	Hot Girl (uncredited)
Quincy Heath	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Haytham Kandil	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Dan Marshall	...	Dancing Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Robert Masiello	...	Wedding guest (uncredited)
Todd Mello	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Jason Mulcahy	...	The Palm Court Caterer (uncredited)
Giovanni Pantaleo	...	Bridal Shower Bartender (uncredited)
Steve Ricard	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Jillian Taylor	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Fraser Townley	...	The Hotel Manager (uncredited)
Marc Vos	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Melissa Whiteman	...	Salesgirl (uncredited)
Adam Zalt	...	The Palm Court Caterer (uncredited)

Directed by
Gary Winick

Writing credits (WGA)
Greg DePaul		(screenplay) and
Casey Wilson		(screenplay) &
June Diane Raphael		(screenplay)
Greg DePaul		(story)

Produced by
Jay Cohen	....	executive producer
Jonathan Filley	....	executive producer
Kate Hudson	....	producer
Matt Luber	....	executive producer
Alan Riche	....	producer
Peter Riche	....	producer
Devon Wilson	....	co-producer
Julie Yorn	....	producer

Original Music by
Ed Shearmur		(as Edward Shearmur)

Cinematography by
Frederick Elmes

Film Editing by
Susan Littenberg

Casting by
Marcia DeBonis
Jennifer Euston

Production Design by
Dan Leigh

Art Direction by
James Donahue

Set Decoration by
Ron von Blomberg

Costume Design by
Karen Patch

Makeup Department
Frank Barbosa	....	head of hair department
Liz Bernstrom	....	key makeup artist
Jean Carney	....	makeup artist
Cheryl Daniels	....	key hair stylist
Paula Dion	....	hair stylist
Jeri La Shay	....	makeup artist
Tina LaSpina	....	makeup artist
Mandy Lyons	....	personal hair stylist: Anne Hathaway
Jennie-kay Murphy	....	additional hair stylist
Evelyne Noraz	....	personal makeup artist: Anne Hathaway
Trish Seeney	....	makeup department head
Sherryn Smith	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Dean Cochran	....	post production supervisor
John A. Machione	....	production manager
Angela Quiles	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jason Graham	....	second second assistant director
Jeremy Marks	....	dga trainee
Eddie Micallef	....	second assistant director
Glen Trotiner	....	first assistant director

Art Department
David H. Allen	....	property master
Guy L. Bermel	....	set dresser
Tara Boccia	....	additional props
John W. Burke	....	art department production assistant: construction shop
Michael Calabrese	....	set dresser
Brandon Cook	....	set dresser
Daniel J. Courchaine	....	charge scenic artist
Frank DeCurtis	....	set dresser
Guido DeCurtis	....	leadman
Frank DeCurtis Jr.	....	set dresser
Maus Drechsler	....	assistant property master (as Ana Katharina Drechsler)
Edward Lee Ellis	....	set dresser
Roberta Frankel	....	set dresser
Kley Gilbuena	....	set dresser
Bradley Klipp	....	set dresser
Jesse Klipp	....	set dresser
Vanessa Knoll	....	buyer
Timothy Lewis	....	set dresser
Carlton McClarence	....	set dresser
Vicki M. McWilliams	....	art department coordinator
Kevin L. Raper	....	graphic artist
Lee Ryans	....	production assistant
Richard Sepulveda	....	set dresser
Kurt Smith	....	construction coordinator
Peter von Bartheld	....	set dresser
Tomas Zeman	....	art coordinator
Zachary Zirlin	....	additional graphic artist

Sound Department
James Bolt	....	sound mixer
Daniel Brennan	....	adr mixer
Jim Brookshire	....	dialogue editor
Patrick Cyccone Jr.	....	sound re-recording mixer
Susan Dawes	....	supervising sound editor
Galen Goodpaster	....	first assistant sound editor
David Grimaldi	....	sound effects editor
Kevin Jette	....	adr mixer
George Leong	....	boom operator
Nancy MacLeod	....	sound effects editor
Michael Miller	....	adr mixer
Richard Murphy	....	sound assist
Richard Murphy	....	utility sound
Elizabeth Rainey	....	foley artist
William Sarokin	....	sound mixer
Greg Steele	....	adr mixer
Greg Zimmerman	....	adr recordist

Visual Effects by
Lindsay Anderson	....	compositor
Mandy Arnold	....	digital restoration artist
Jamie Baxter	....	digital compositor
Ryan Beadle	....	digital I/O
John Bunt	....	digital compositor
Sam Dabbs	....	digital compositor
Mark Dornfeld	....	visual effects supervisor
Anthony Fung	....	visual effects artist
James Gambino	....	rotoscoping
Sarah Grieshammer	....	digital compositor
Shaina Holmes	....	digital artist supervisor
Justin Israel	....	digital compositor
Paulina Kuszta	....	visual effects coordinator
Vincent Lavares	....	data manager: Laser Pacific

Stunts
Jill Brown	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Mark Norby	....	stunts
Tracey Ruggiero	....	stunt double: Anne Hathaway
Shawnna Thibodeau	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert M. Andres	....	key grip
Thomas Bango	....	first assistant camera
Alison Barton	....	grip
Angela Bellisio	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Robert Bullard	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Brian Daigle	....	rigging electrician
Joseph E. Doyle	....	engineer: HD camera
David M. Dunlap	....	director of photography: second unit
Jeffrey A. Eplett	....	best boy rigging electrician
Claire Folger	....	still photographer: New York and Boston
Joel Holland	....	key video assist operator
Lukasz Jogalla	....	camera operator
Robert Knowles	....	grip
Michael Kowalczyk	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Thomas Landi	....	electrician
Kurt Lennig	....	rigging gaffer
Scott Lipkowitz	....	camera loader
Jonathan Lumley	....	gaffer
Doug Meils	....	additional electric
Doug Meils	....	additional lighting electrician
John Panuccio	....	key rigging grip
Michael Parmelee	....	still photographer: New York
Harry Pray IV	....	lighting technician
Peter Ramos	....	camera operator: "c" camera
Paul Raymond	....	video assist operator
Chuck Rudolph	....	generator operator: set
Dave Rudolph	....	best boy electric
Blackford 'Boots' Shelton	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
David Taylor	....	grip
Ralph Watson	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Ralph Watson	....	steadicam operator

Casting Department
Tarquin Alexander	....	casting associate
Peter Dudgeon	....	casting assistant
Toby Guidry	....	casting associate
Caitlin McKenna-Wilkinson	....	adr voice casting
Kevin Mockrin	....	casting associate
Jodi Purdy-Quinlan	....	extras casting
Patty Wall	....	extras casting assistant
Matt Bouldry	....	casting assistant (uncredited)
Grant Wilfley	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Natalie Arango	....	key costumer
Jeanie Baker	....	costumer: Anne Hathaway
Rosa Colón	....	additional set costumer
Hillary Derby	....	costumer
Sheila Gentile	....	costumer
Bettina Hastie	....	seamstress
Rebecca Hofherr	....	assistant costume designer
Leah Katznelson	....	assistant costume designer
Chrissy Kuhn	....	costumer
Alethea McElroy	....	set costumer
Joanna Murphy	....	costume shopper
Amy Pickering	....	wardrobe supervisor
Debra Sugarman	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Nic Angell	....	digital intermediate producer
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Rick Granville	....	post-production coordinator
Angie Luckey	....	assistant editor
Mike Sowa	....	digital intermediate colorist
Debra L. Tennant	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Pete Anthony	....	conductor
Bryan Carrigan	....	digital score recordist
Linda Cohen	....	music supervisor
Norman Durance	....	music supervisor: songs
Chris Fogel	....	music scoring engineer
Kevin Kliesch	....	orchestrator
Jay B. Richardson	....	music editor
Peter Rotter	....	orchestra contractor
Andrew Shulman	....	musician

Transportation Department
Amber R. Kirsch	....	transportation

Other crew
Eric Olin Anderson	....	set production assistant
Nicole Anderson	....	key craft service
Susannah Brengel	....	production accountant
Shawn Caple	....	production assistant
John Carrafa	....	choreographer
Gary Chandler	....	second craft services
James Coker	....	production assistant: New York
Derek Cunningham	....	assistant location manager
Shannon Dennard	....	location scout
Francine DiChiara	....	production secretary
Roger Dillingham Jr.	....	set medic
Joseph E. Doyle	....	video/computer playback operator
Blake Drummond	....	assistant production coordinator
Karin Fong	....	title designer: main title
Michael Fucci	....	location manager
Steven Fulcher	....	additional set production assistant
Benjamin Gamer	....	location assistant
Stephen Hartman	....	location assistant
Patti Hawn	....	unit publicist
Bridget Hoffman	....	additional voices
Jerrold McKinley Ivery	....	first assistant post-production accountant
Crystal Jenney	....	assistant to director
Brendan Kehoe	....	assistant location manager
Kelly Kiernan	....	production executive
Jennifer Klatt	....	first assistant accountant
Joanna Klein	....	production assistant: New York
Russ Klein	....	set production assistant: New York
Christopher G. Kurose	....	production assistant
David LaCarubba	....	production assistant
April Lamb	....	assistant: Mr. Winick
Bronson Lamb	....	production assistant
Dylan Matlock	....	set production assistant
Caitlin McKenna-Wilkinson	....	additional voices
Todd Mello	....	stand-in
Joshua Moulding	....	production assistant
Jason Mulcahy	....	stand-in
J.P. Ouellette	....	staff set production assistant
Melissa Rosal	....	production assistant
Jim Schiro	....	assistant accountant
Bryan Smiley	....	assistant: Arnon Milchan
Greg Staley	....	set production assistant
Laura Summer	....	additional voices
Jacob Wasserman	....	production assistant
Ryan Young	....	key set production assistant
David Louis Zuckerman	....	assistant: director

Production Companies

• Firm Films
• New Regency Pictures
• Regency Enterprises
• Sunrise Entertainment (II)

Distributors

• 20th Century Fox (2009) (UK) (theatrical)
• Fox 2000 Pictures (2009) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2009) (France) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2009) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Bontonfilm (2009) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Fox-Warner (2009) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Odeon (2009) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2009) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• FS Film Oy (2009) (Finland) (all media)
• Gativideo (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Custom Film Effects

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Grant Wilfley Casting  extras casting
• Imaginary Forces  titles
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  honeywagon: star trailers and wardrobe trailer
• Post Factory NY  post-production facilities
• Right Lobe Design Group  graphic montages
• Soundtrack  ADR Facility (as Soundtrack Boston)
• Soundtrack  adr facility
• Transportation Resources  transportation equipment

MPAA:

Rated PG for suggestive content, language and some rude behavior.

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG (certificate #44718) | Ireland:PG | UK:PG (cut) | Australia:PG | Singapore:NC-16 | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Finland:S | Singapore:PG (edited version) | South Korea:12 | Hong Kong:IIA | Taiwan:GP | Spain:T | New Zealand:PG | South Africa:PG | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Norway:A | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:Atp | Mexico:A | Sweden:7 | Australia:M (Cable TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Firm Films

Trivia:

Several wives and girlfriends of current Red Sox players were extras in the wedding shower scene.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Emma is in the room with Deb, just as Emma is about to start shouting at Deb - Deb changes from holding her champagne, then her makeup, then her champagne again and then her makeup again.

Quotes:

Marion St. Claire: It was quite a wedding and as I stood there watching I realized something I'd forgotten a long time ago. Sometimes in life there really are bonds formed that can never be broken. Sometimes you really can find that one person who will stand by you no matter what...

Movie Connections:

References "Saturday Night Live" (1975)

Soundtrack:

Spring

Let's get married... yeah, right

Martin Scorsese once famously said he does one movie for the studio and one for himself, and so do many other directors or actors (George Clooney admits he did Ocean's Thirteen because that way he could do Michael Clayton next). Although Anne Hathaway hasn't explicitly said she does that, one can assume it's the only rational explanation for a piece of anti-cinematic trash like Bride Wars. Shooting The Devil Wears Prada after Brokeback Mountain is one thing, tainting your Oscar-nominated legacy with this bunch of nonsense is another.

And yet it sounded like it could be a lot of fun, at least judging by the premise, which reverses the classic wedding stereotype: women are in it for the romance, guys are game because it's fun (that's what they make it look like in American comedies, anyway). This time around, the dudes are in it for the love, and the girls want to get married just to make a childhood dream come true. Apparently, if you're a woman and live in Manhattan, the ultimate dream of your life is to get married at the Plaza in June, so when best friends Liv (Kate Hudson with a Paris Hilton/Britney Spears haircut) and Emma (Hathaway) get asked the fundamental question by their beaus, they immediately try to book the right place and date. A mix-up occurs, and so they're both stuck with the same date, June 6th. Neither wants to postpone what's supposed to be the happiest day of their lives, therefore a full-on war is declared on both parts.

At this point, the real silliness kicks in: diet sabotage, tans gone awry and the occasional witty remark, like "Your wedding's gonna be huge, just like your ass at prom". What started as a potentially entertaining critique of materialism and shallowness is revealed to be a poorly executed farce, with a succession of lame jokes instead of a plot (then again, one of the screenwriters is best known for performing on Saturday Night Live, where the skits have no connection whatsoever, so that may be an explanation) and two atrocious caricatures instead of leading ladies.

In fairness, no one ever expected any true brilliance from Hudson, given the last really good movie she appeared in was Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous in 2000, but surely someone could have told Hathaway you just don't choose something this bland after working with Jonathan Demme (or Ang Lee, for that matter). Maybe she wanted to return to her comedic roots, but sadly there's nothing even remotely funny in Bride Wars, save for a few brief scenes featuring the reliable Candice Bergen. Everything else is just like Liv and Emma: obsessed with getting everything right, but ultimately too self-centered to get any sympathy from others.