Lizzy Caplan, Kirsten Dunst, and Isla Fisher share a rare moment of calm in Bachelorette

PHOTO COURTESY OF RADIUS-TWC

However, it's a problem for the audience when nearly every character is utterly unlikable. Headland's play was written as part of a series on the deadly sins (Bachelorette was for "gluttony" — obviously reflected in Becky's weight, but also Katie's pill-gobbling, Gena's sluttiness, etc.), and it's one thing to see a satirical comedy play out onstage. The actors are there in front of your eyes: intermittently hateful, but living, breathing, and palpably human. Blown up to movie size, there's nothing to temper the toxicity of the characters; even on the small screen, where Bachelorette proved to be a popular On Demand pick prior to its theatrical release, their awfulness can be agonizing.

Back to inevitable comparison point Bridesmaids: sure, Wiig's hapless maid of honor was prone to cringe-inducing episodes (dear god, the airplane scene), but Bridesmaids took the time to explore the reasons behind her outrageous behavior. Her character was shaped by, not completely defined by, her failings, and through all her fuckups she remained sympathetic. Her sweet conclusion was cheesy, but she'd earned it.

Bachelorette's leading ladies are amusingly vile in the moment, but the movie's so pleased with itself for being "edgy" that its own last-act attempt at sentiment rings jarringly false. Young Adult didn't need a happy ending, and neither does Bachelorette, a film that would've been better served by sticking with its rallying cry: "Fuck everyone!" 

BACHELORETTE opens Fri/7 in San Francisco.