More than a decade after it hit theaters, 'Bridesmaids' remains the gold standard for comedies about female friendship. It proved that movies about women could be heartfelt, raunchy, and riotously funny all at once. But its magic isn't unique.
1. Muriel’s Wedding (Australia, 1994)
Long before
Annie Walker’s meltdown, there was Muriel Heslop. Socially awkward, living in a dead-end town called Porpoise Spit, and obsessed with ABBA, Muriel dreams of a glamorous wedding as her ticket to a better life. After being cruelly cast out by her shallow friends, she steals money from her family, flees to Sydney, and reconnects with a rebellious old classmate, Rhonda. Their friendship is the film's true love story, a chaotic and deeply loyal bond that helps Muriel find herself. 'Muriel's Wedding' is the spiritual godmother to 'Bridesmaids,' blending cringe-worthy desperation, dark humor, and a triumphant story of a woman learning her own worth is more important than any wedding.
2. Cómo Sobrevivir a una Despedida (Spain, 2015)
The premise of 'Cómo Sobrevivir a una Despedida' ('How to Survive a Farewell Party') sounds incredibly familiar: a group of broke twenty-something friends decide to throw an unforgettable bachelorette party for their best friend. Their dream of a lavish trip quickly collides with their mileurista (minimum wage) reality, forcing them to settle for a budget trip to Gran Canaria. What follows is a whirlwind of misadventures and terrible decisions fueled by a desire to give their friend the perfect send-off. The film captures the specific chaos of trying to pull off a big event when everything that can go wrong, does. It mirrors the escalating disasters of 'Bridesmaids' while celebrating the idea that even when the party is a failure, the friendship that holds it all together is what truly matters.
3. Toni Erdmann (Germany, 2016)
This nearly three-hour German film isn't a traditional comedy, but it is a masterclass in the kind of painfully awkward humor that made 'Bridesmaids' unforgettable. The story follows Winfried, a prank-loving father who worries his serious, corporate-consultant daughter, Ines, has lost her sense of humor. He decides to intervene by showing up in her life as his alter-ego: 'Toni Erdmann,' a life coach with bad teeth and a worse wig. The film's genius lies in the sustained cringe as Ines is forced to navigate high-stakes business meetings while her father—as Toni—crashes the party. Her slow-burn unraveling from a woman who has it all together into someone pushed to her absolute limit will feel deeply familiar to anyone who loved watching Annie Walker's perfectly curated composure crack under pressure.
4. Queen (India, 2014)
What happens when your life falls apart right before the big day? That’s the question at the heart of 'Queen.' The film begins with Rani, a sheltered and traditional young woman from Delhi, getting dumped by her fiancé just before their wedding. After a period of heartbreak, she makes a radical decision: to go on her planned honeymoon to Paris and Amsterdam by herself. What begins as a lonely trip transforms into a journey of self discovery as she befriends a free spirited hotel worker, lives in a hostel with three men, and slowly comes out of her shell. Like Annie Walker, Rani has to rebuild her life after the plan she staked everything on collapses. The film is a joyful, funny, and empowering celebration of finding independence and the unexpected friendships that help you get there.
5. Connasse, Princesse des Cœurs (France, 2015)
Known in English as 'The Parisian Bitch, Princess of Hearts,' this film captures the unhinged, idndriven chaos that 'Bridesmaids' unleashed so brilliantly. Shot entirely with hidden cameras, the movie follows Camilla, an egotistical and obnoxious Parisian who decides she's too good for a normal life and must marry into royalty—specifically, Prince Harry. She travels to London on a singleminded quest to meet and seduce him, leaving a trail of bewildering and hilarious encounters with real unsuspecting people in her wake. While it lacks the friendship theme, it doubles down on the spectacle of a woman unapologetically pursuing a ridiculous goal with zero self awareness. It’s the comedic equivalent of Annie Walker's antics on the airplane or her bridal shower meltdown, sustained for an entire feature film.
