Bridesmaids

Much more than a girls-being-bad comedy, this matrimonial farce finely captures female friendship in all its glory.

When Annie Walker (Kristen Wiig) is asked to be maid of honour for Lillian (Maya Rudolph)she is truly honoured. But Helen, another of Lilian's friends, had long coveted that role, and as the bridesmaids assemble to bond and prepare for the big day, tensions and hilarity come to the fore.

The box office-busting comedy from the stable of Judd Apatow famously bucked the trend for female-fronted comedies, leading to a slew of starring vehicles for the likes of Wiig and, in particular, scene-stealer Melissa McCarthy. But Bridemaids was always much more than a girls-behaving-badly romp. A touching paean to multi-faceted female friendship, it displays an emotional intelligence that's the hallmark of Apatow's projects, while director Paul Feig handles his ensemble cast with aplomb.