Hollywood movie pitches are famously framed as combinations of previously successful movies- i.e. “It’s The Avengers meets Shakespeare In Love.” The pedigree of Bachelorette is pretty obvious: Bridesmaids plus The Hangover. Unfortunately, the film never achieves either movies’ tone of effortless raunchy debauchery or genuine heart. But the forced excess of the beginning of the movie does eventually set up opportunities for the characters to grow beyond their stereotypes, making for a fun, more initimate addition to the wedding-craziness genre.

The film documents the 24 hours leading up to the wedding of Becky (Rebel Wilson), “the fat one” among a group of childhood friends now into their 30s. Gena (Lizzy Caplan) is “the rocker slut,” Katie (Isla Fisher) is “the ditzy sexpot,” and Regan (Kristen Dunst) is “the career woman psycho bitch.” They do drugs and almost ruin the wedding, but manage to save the day just in time, all while each hooking up with the appropriate guy from among the groomsmen.

The character’s are extremely unlikeable caricatures at the beginning of the film, and unfortunately, some of them stay that way. But once the movie gets out of it’s own way and lets the women and men really talk to each other and go after what they want (or what needs to be done), the talented cast of cult favorite actors shows what they can do. Dunst in particular stands out, as Regan’s unfeeling command and control eventually solves everything (and saves a life).

Bachelorette opens nationwide on Sept. 6.

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