And now for your viewing pleasure, Judd Apatow will refute charges of sexism and impart to you Bridesmaids. It’s like 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up, but with chicks! He’s settled up with the fairer gender and the catalogue of his achievements can now add, “striking a blow for all the gals out there” to its list. Of course I’m saying this with a measure of tongue-in-cheek, but one should consider that the only thing setting this endeavour apart from those aforementioned titles, is the sex of its cast. We’ve seen and heard these jokes before.

While that might seem overly critical, it can’t be ignored that this movie was seemingly written, cast, produced and directed to exploit a particular and oft overlooked demographic in the age of the R rated comedies — women. While one can’t deny that Bridesmaids pulls this off with skill, it’s difficult to ignore the fact that this female driven comedy’s most poignant advertising tactic has been to point out that men should not be afraid to see it. You’ll note the film’s tag line “Chick flicks don’t have to suck!” Does this detract from the films quality? No. Will it receive a little more praise than is due? Probably. Is a woman, wearing a wedding dress, taking a shit in the middle of the street funny? You bet.

Starring and written by comedy juggernaut Kristen Wiig (SNL, McGruber), directed by Paul Feig, produced by Judd Apatow, and with additional writing credit to Annie Mumolo, Bridesmaids is the story of one woman’s struggle to understand failure and friendship at middle age.

As the film opens we learn that Annie (Kristen Wigg) has been asked by lifelong friend Lillian (Maya Rudolph) to be her maid of honour. Needless to say this posting heaves much pressure and stress on Annie’s already tired and mournful shoulders. Her bakery has closed down, her only love interest is Ted (Jon Hamm) a deplorable womanizer who at one point actually utters the words “this is awkward, I really want you to leave” following sex and to top everything off, she’s about to be kicked out of her apartment. The film’s villain comes in the form of the beautiful and well to do, Helen (Rose Byrne), who undermines Annie’s attempts to provide Lillian with an eventful, though frugal, bridal shower and stagette. Here in lies the heart of the film’s literal conflict. As to the more abstract we find the expected Apatow fare. From start to finish Annie’s journey is a comedic Paradise Lost of self-destruction and rebirth. In the role of Virgil we find Megan, Lillian’s fiancé’s sister (played by Melissa McCarthy in what will likely be her breakout performance), guiding her into the light.

The eventual conclusion, though expected, is still a touching and welcome one. Wiig’s grace coupled with vulgarity impresses upon the viewer a find of honesty not typically seen from female leads. To say that she walking in the shoes of Seth Rogen might be a shade insulting, but it isn’t far from the truth.

Is this a chick flick? No. It’s a movie comprised of female characters doing things normally reserved for the grosser gender. If this is meant to be shocking, it falls short. If it’s meant to be funny, it’s right on the mark.