Rebel Wilson's an unlikely action hero in Bride Hard as Adam Sandler's Happy Gilmore sequel falls flat
BRIDE HARD (M)
Director: Simon West (Con Air)
Starring: Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp, Anna Chlumsky, Stephen Dorff.
Let's call the whole thing off
No need to be hunting for any subliminal meanings within Bride Hard's title.
The only objective here is to mash-up the rom-com raunch of Bridesmaids with the all-stops-out action of Die Hard.
While there have been worse reasons for a movie to be wished into existence, there is much to this uneven production that will have you wishing it never existed at all.
To get right to the heart of an insurmountable problem, the movie's comedy department is simply never open for business.
Inept joke construction and lifeless line delivery tease an eerie emptiness from scene after scene, cold-bloodedly killing each and every chance of a laugh.
What about the action stuff in Bride Hard? Surprisingly, it goes down quite well.
Partially because the mindless mayhem at hand offers some welcome respite from all those thudding punchlines.
And also, because an unusual choice for an action heroine in Rebel Wilson throws herself into the fray with a gameness and gusto that the rest of Bride Hard sorely lacks.
At least the plot is easy to follow, which some might consider to be a vague plus.
Wilson stars as Sam, a decorated spy whose latest mission is to serve as maid of honour at the coming wedding of her lifelong best friend Betsy (Pitch Perfect regular Anna Camp).
After Sam's undercover commitments see her dismissed from Betsy's bridal party on the eve of the big day, a sudden shot at redemption appears out of nowhere.
With the wedding ceremony overrun by machinegunning mercenaries taking hostages and wanting a cache of gold, the only resistance mounted comes from Sam in her codenamed guise as Agent Butterfly.
Unfortunately, the consistent lack of zing ruining the comedy scenes eventually smothers any lasting interest in Sam's solo quest, or what will become of the unlikeable Betsy and her equally unappealing entourage.
Bride Hard is in cinemas now.
THE FRIEND (M)
****
General release.
Be sure to mark down this dog-centric comedy-drama as one of the hidden movie gems of the year. Those who go looking for The Friend will be rewarded with an experience that is both instantly fetching and lastingly absorbing. On paper, the concept does not look promising. Two hours of Naomi Watts emoting at a Great Dane? That can't possibly work. And yet, the movie achieves complete success for one genuinely miraculous reason. The aforementioned Great Dane emotes right back at Watts with the same depth of character and expressive range as his human co-star. Watts plays Iris, a New York-based writer and editor reeling from the sudden death of her beloved creative mentor, Walter (Bill Murray). Turns out Walter's final gesture before his tragic passing was leaving custody of his canine companion Apollo to Iris. Much of the movie is taken up with Iris' ill-equipped efforts to care for a dog the size of a small horse in an apartment the size of a postage stamp. The close proximity of this lonely woman and stoic pooch – both of whom are in differing states of deep mourning – sparks a gradual joining of forces that is a pure delight to witness. Just as impacting is a handful of scenes shared by Watts and Murray where the actual nature and meaning of Walter's inexplicable death is revealed. Highly recommended.
HAPPY GILMORE 2 (M)
**1/2
Now streaming on Netflix.
Back in the mid-1990s, Happy Gilmore was the goofy golfing movie where Adam Sandler forged a screen persona that would later see him become the most successful comedy drawcard in motion-picture history. These days, Sandler is more of a businessman than a funnyman. A nine-figure stay-and-play deal with Netflix means he doesn't have to worry about crafting product that will sell cinema tickets. A second Happy Gilmore was always going to happen, and it was always going to be more of a reunion than a reboot. Therefore Sandler stacks the deck of this second Happy Gilmore with countless callbacks to what longtime fans loved about the first one. As for relative newcomers to Sandler's shouty, louty shredder of the fairways, there is a huge stack of sports celebrity cameos and big names in small roles to be enjoyably sifted through. As for a story, all you need to know is that an older, but no wiser Happy is doing it tough in his late fifties, taking to the booze after he accidentally killed his wife with a stray golf ball. However, with five kids (and John Daly) to feed, clothe and support, Happy must eventually pick up the clubs and make one last attempt to come in under par, or see out the rest of his days stuck in the sandtrap of life. There's arguably too much golf and too few good-to-great gags to land this on the same green as the original. Nevertheless, there is a sweet swagger to all the swinging and missing in play that true Sandler-philes will be unable to resist.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
One-word sledge Ashes nemesis Stuart Broad refuses to cop
As Stuart Broad prepares to commentate in the looming Ashes series Down Under, the retired England quick has been given a reminder of just how unpopular he is in Australia. The 39-year-old retired after the drawn Ashes series of 2023, finishing his outstanding career with 604 wickets from 167 Test matches in national colours. But the mere mention of the blond paceman's name lights a fire in the belly of countless Aussie cricket fans. Ever the antagonist, Broad etched his name in infamy during the first Test of the 2013 Ashes series in England when a healthy outside edge from Ashton Agar's bowling was caught by Michael Clarke at first slip (see below). Broad was famously given not out by umpire Aleem Dar, Clarke didn't have any more reviews and the Englishman, who was on 37 at the time, went on to make 65 in a match the home side won by 14 runs. It led to accusations of cheating and all sorts of commentary about the 'spirit of cricket' and was a hot topic when the return Ashes series took place in Australia just three months later. The Courier Mail in particular fired a series of shots at Broad ahead of the first Test at the Gabba and Michael Atherton referred to that drama when he asked the fast bowler about commentating for Channel 7 in Australia later this year. 'Well Stuart, just to reflect on a bit of news that emerged form Down Under overnight that seems to have gone down like a bucket of sick with the locals,' Atherton began on Sky Sports during England's current Test series with India. 'Namely that you're going to be commentating on one of the local channels in the Ashes. 'Just a reminder of how popular you are down there, the Brisbane Courier Mail couldn't bring themselves to put a photo of you on the front page. 'And then called you a 'smug Pommy cheat, Broad Ban'. Are you looking forward to going down to Australia this winter to commentate on the Ashes?' Broad had a cheeky grin on his face as he took the sledge from his compatriot and had no issue being called a cheat, which has been picked up by news outlets across the world. But there was one word he wasn't prepared to cop. 'Well, I sort of obviously agree with the Pommy and the cheat bit,' he said. 'But I don't think I'm smug.' The cricket world has since had a field day over the brief exchange, with many venting their feelings towards Broad and others relishing his looming appearance at Aussie grounds for what will be another heated contest. Podcaster Anthony Spiteri wrote on X: 'I loathed Stuart Broad … but I also loved his competitiveness and fire while playing for England. His commentary is some of the best of recent times. Be good to have him.' Indian cricket fan The Bakchod Bro tweeted: 'Yeah, popular like a mosquito at a barbecue. Aussies love Broady … for all the wrong reasons.' Paul White wrote: 'He can leave any reference to the 'spirit of cricket' at home. No English cricket player, unwashed fan, or talking head in the media has any concept of it.' Daniel Sanderson stated: 'Broad is a wind up merchant. The Aussies can't take any form of banter at all.' Matty Smith offered simply: 'Definitely smug.' Some hopeful Aussie cricket fans also suggested Broad would be very welcome to witness another defeat Down Under. 'He can come and commentate an Aussie 5 nil victory while he gets abused,' was one suggestion. 'I think it's great. He'll witness in person ANOTHER England series loss,' said a second. This summer's Ashes series commences in Perth on November 21 before it shifts to Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
Warning amid rumours of Tomorrowland music festival launching Aus event in 2026
Rumours that Australia may soon be home to a massive international music festival have swirled this week, with the stir prompting a reminder for Aussies to also look inward to the incredible talent of homegrown artists. The speculation was sparked when eagle-eyed festival goers spotted 'Melbourne, November 2026' on the walk into the electronic dance festival Tomorrowland in Belgium. Festival organisers have since revealed that while an Australian Tomorrowland is not currently on the cards, a festival featuring a CORE stage could be on the way - though organisers are yet to disclose when or where in Australia this could be. A Tomorrowland spokeswoman described CORE events as an 'experience where nature, music and art meet', with last year's CORE stage used at Tomorrowland in Mexico featuring hundreds of moving lights and LED flares, water fountains and geysers and firework fountains to match the energy of the pulsing electronic beats. The exciting news comes off the back of a bleak period in Australia's festival sector, with more than 10 events axed last year and several more — including Splendour in the Grass and Groovin The Moo — sitting 2025 out. A CORE festival down under is likely to spell success as interest in all things rave and electronic dance music continue to experience a steady rise in popularity across the country. Nearly a quarter of all festivals held in the country last year featured electronic music, with Australia the third-largest consumer of the genre on Spotify, according to reports by Music Australia and Creative Australia. Australian Festival Association managing director Olly Arkins likened Tomorrowland organisers turning their eye to Australia as a 'testament to the hard yards' local artists and promoters had been putting in for more than a decade. '(It's) just a real endorsement for the strength of the local electronic music scene in Melbourne, and the work that artists and promoters have been doing there for so long,' Arkins said. But while an event of CORE's magnitude appears on track to please Aussies and bring audiences some respite from the recent cancellations, it also raises the importance of including local artists on big bills. Acknowledging a large event such as Tomorrowland would be very exciting, Arkins emphasised the need to bolster the local music industry rather than just focusing on the 'shiny new thing'. 'The whole music ecosystem and industry is dependent on the strength of the grassroots,' Arkins said. 'The biggest problem we are facing at the moment for Australian artists is discoverability and competition with other English-speaking nations.' More than half of Aussies not seeking local gigs About 66 per cent of music-engaged Aussies reported they wanted to hear more local music, but only 33 per cent were actively seeking out local acts, Creative Australia's June report found. Additionally, more than 50 per cent of Australian artists' rights were earned by overseas streams in 2023-24. Arkins claimed streaming platforms were allowing American artists to dominate algorithms, pushing Aussie music to the side. 'These big international events coming out are important, but they're only going to be successful if they've got a strong base and a strong music community and industry to leverage off,' Arkins said. 'The success of small music festivals is also just as important as the big shiny stuff like Tomorrowland.' A Tomorrowland spokeswoman said the CORE and Tomorrowland events brought together new releases and emerging artists from label CORE records. 'Branching off to different subgenres with both internationally renowned acts, as well as new talents to discover, CORE aims to give people enough energy for a proper party, while also introducing them to upcoming artists and special discoveries that they wouldn't expect,' the spokeswoman said. It is unclear whether any Aussie acts would be added to the bill. Aussie music 'soundtrack to life' Arts Minister Tony Burke expressed his support for any event planning to platform Aussie artists, while speaking generally. 'Australia produces some of the best music in the world. Last weekend's triplej Hottest 100 of Australian songs only further proved that,' Mr Burke said. 'Any event that wants to come here, platform our artists and provide jobs to our arts workers is a great one. 'We want our Australian music to be the soundtrack to life in Australia.' The federal government has injected nearly $8m into 112 live music businesses across the country, with an additional $25m to be invested into live music venues in the next two years. In Victoria — the rumoured host of a CORE event — the state government invests in local artists opening for international acts, backing Melbourne rockers Jet with their support of Lenny Kravitz's November performance. Tina Arena opening for Billy Joel and The Temper Trap for Kings of Leon in 2022 are among other performances supported by the Victorian government, along with the unforgettable 2022 Geelong gig at which Amyl and the Sniffers opened what would become one of the Foo Fighters' last performances with drummer Taylor Hawkins. Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos said the state was the live music and events capital of the country, with its government backing several events with grants of up to $50,000. This includes 33 festivals, such as the Queenscliff Music Festival. 'Victoria has built a strong reputation for delivering major music events that bring in visitors from across Australia and around the world, supporting local jobs and showcasing our homegrown talent,' Mr Dimopoulos said. In a similar vein, NSW recently became the first Aussie government to back the Michael's Rule initiative, which calls for at least one local artist to be brought in to support international acts in Australia. Venue hire fees will be cut by $20,000 for each eligible show that adheres to the rule, which was established in 2024 following the death of artist manager Michael McMartin. The fees for Opera House gigs will also be slashed by $5000 if they comply with the rule.
The Australian
2 hours ago
- The Australian
A plagiarism drama hits Australian horror flick Together
Together – a love story gets the body horror treatment. But beyond the jump scares, a real-life drama is unfolding as this Australian director's debut faces a heated plagiarism dispute. Find out more about The Front podcast here. You can read about this story and more on The Australian's website or on The Australian's app. The weekend edition of The Front is co-produced by Claire Harvey and Jasper Leak. The host is Claire Harvey. Audio production and editing by Jasper Leak who also composed our theme.
