I saw Bridesmaids this weekend as part of a drive-in movie double-feature with Fast Five. I can’t say for certain which was funnier, but I did laugh quite a bit a both movies. I can say that Bridesmaids was the better film of the two and that is not the insult it sounds like. Yes, it’s OK to see this chick flick.

TBL wanted me to take the approach of “why guys need to see Bridesmaids” or “it’s not a chick flick,” [Ed. When I mentioned the movie on twitter this weekend, I got 20-30 responses saying I INSTANTLY NEED TO SEE IT and IT IS NOT A CHICK FLICK] but that would be selling the film short. You should see it because its good. It’s funny, sweet, disgusting and well made. That’s why you should see it.

First, let me say that I liked Bridesmaids more than my girlfriend did.That’s par for the course. I like chick flicks more than she does. I’m totally down with my feminine side like that. That’s not news. What is news is that Bridesmaids is nothing like advertised.

The ads did were completely centered around the “guys need to see Bridesmaids” and “it’s not a chick flick” untruths.  The marketing was full of lies! Can you believe that someone at a movie studio would lie to us?

Let’s first deal with the “female equivalent to The Hangover” claims that were brandied about. That’s not the greatest compliment in the world. Have you watched The Hangover recently? It’s much more fun to reference The Hangover than to actually watch The Hangover. I saw The Hangover in theaters and I liked The Hangover. I probably won’t sit down and watch it again anytime soon. Zach Galifianakis and the slideshow from the lost camera during the credits made The Hangover. Other than that, it’s severely overrated.

Where was I? Oh,  yes. Bridesmaids is most definitely a “chick flick.” The trailer does not portray the film accurately at all. It’s about Kristen Wiig dealing with her best friend getting married and finding a new best friend. There is no bachelorette party. This was not the ensemble movie that it is supposed to look like.

Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph and Rose Byrne are the three female leads and the rest of the women from the wedding party make up a very small percentage of the film. Of course, it’s so much easier to shout words that people know and expect them to show up. Hangover! Girls! I’ll be there!

Of course, the best thing about this movie might be that American audiences are introduced to The IT Crowd’s Chris O’Dowd, who plays the love interest. Why is there an Irish police officer in the Mid-Western United States? Who gives a shit? It’s Roy. I was more inclined to wonder why Kristen Wiig was sharing an apartment with two British people. Is there a high percentage of people from the U.K. moving to Wisconsin?

As far as chick flicks go, Bridesmaids is great. As far as movies go, Bridesmaids is good. It  has a little bit of everything. There is scatological humor, over the top SNL-esque humor, regular jokes humor. Then there’s the rom-com “will she get her life in order and make up with the people she loves who she has spent 90 minutes pushing away?” Luckily there are actual jokes written by funny people in there to keep it from sucking.

So if you want to see Bridesmaids, see it. You’ll enjoy it. I give you permission to see a chick flick. Show how modern you are by viewing a film starring women.