Rebel Wilson and Anna Camp reunite on screen 13 years after Pitch Perfect in the new buddy spy comedy Bride Hard. Directed by Simon West and written by Shaina Steinberg (from a story by Steinberg and CeCe Pleasants), the film follows estranged childhood best friends Sam and Betsy as they reunite in celebration of Betsy’s wedding.
Betsy’s bridal party includes her college roommates, Zoe (Gigi Zumbado) and Lydia (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), along with her beloved sister-in-law, Virginia (Anna Chlumsky). It’s been three decades since Sam and Betsy first bonded, but time, distance, and adulthood have strained their once unbreakable sisterhood. Betsy is the epitome of tradition; raised by loving, married parents and is now engaged to a devoted fiancé. Sam, by contrast, has grown guarded and emotionally distant, shaped by a turbulent upbringing watching her mother cycle through five failed marriages. She believes solitude is safer, even if it means keeping loved ones like Betsy at arm’s length.
Unbeknownst to the bridal party, Sam leads a double life as a world-class secret agent, a fact even Betsy remains unaware of. Urged by her partner Nadine (Sherry Cola) to take a break from spycraft and to be present for her best friend, Sam agrees, only for her two worlds to violently collide. For Sam, espionage is familiar territory, but her refusal to fully engage with the emotional messiness of real life reveals just how much she’s stalled in personal growth.
Bride Hard boasts a cast of strong comedic talent, but despite the promise of its ensemble, the film rarely finds its comedic rhythm. Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Gigi Zumbado are a welcome exception, injecting chaotic charm and chemistry whenever they share the screen. Unfortunately, the spy subplot feels overcooked, so exaggerated that it detracts from the film’s emotional core. The script lacks enough substance to anchor either the action or the relationships.
Ultimately, Bride Hard is a female-led comedy that tries so hard to be crowd-pleasing, it stumbles over its own ambition.
CHRISKRATING★☆☆☆☆
