The ability to make self-deprecation funny is a talent. Kristen Wiig shows that she’s uber-talented in Bridesmaids, the new Judd Apatow-produced comedy that’s being compared to The Hangover — and rightfully so. The main difference between the two marriage-themed movies is that Bridesmaids focuses on one central character, Annie (Wiig). With no boyfriend, no apartment and a bakery business that recently went bust, Annie is doing what some would call “hitting rock bottom.” To make matters worse, her lifelong friend, Lillian (Maya Rudolph), is getting married.

Maid-of-honor Annie is given the task of helping plan Lillian’s wedding, which bumps up awkwardly with her efforts to pull her life back together. She meets a few of Lillian’s friends and newest female family members. As her personal life crumbles, so does her social life. Annie takes the women out to lunch for ethnic food, and they all get sick. On a trip to Las Vegas, fear of flying mixed with some terrible judgment leads to an unforgettably hysterical flight.

The only positive for Annie is a charming police officer (Chris O’Dowd) she meets when pulled over. He has a crush on her, but she pities herself too much to notice. Above all, her problems fuel her jealousy for Lillian’s new-found friendship with a younger and much wealthier woman (Rose Byrne) who is also helping with the planning.

Since emerging in popularity as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, Wiig has been brilliant in supporting roles on the big screen. (Think Knocked Up, for starters.) In Bridesmaids, she finally gets the chance to own the spotlight, and the lack of boundaries allows Wiig to be as ridiculous as she pleases. Wiig has a certain charm that you don’t find in most actors; maybe it’s the ability to be hilarious while making fun of herself in a way that reminds me of Tina Fey? I’m a huge fan of Fey, and I was a huge fan of Wiig in Bridesmaids.

Aside from Wiig, the movie counts on strong performances from the supporting cast. Maya Rudolph’s chemistry with Wiig is believable, which isn’t surprising considering they spent five years together on SNL and have been close friends for years. Their friendship is sincere, and it goes a long way in making us care about the outcome.

As with The Hangover, it’s the over-the-top character acting in Bridesmaids that stays with you after the movie. Rose Byrne is great as Lillian’s obnoxious new friend Helen, the one who intimidates Annie. From the second we’re introduced to her — she's wearing a luxurious, flowing dress and a supermodel smirk — you know the competition between Helen and Annie will be epic. Melissa McCarthy is jaw-droppingly funny as Lillian’s future sister-in-law, who’s loud, crude and kind of disgusting in a loveable sort of way. And Jon Hamm, playing Annie’s would-be boyfriend (if he was interested in anything more than sex), is hopefully not as awful a person in real life as he is in the film.

The script, written by Wiig and Annie Numolo, covers a wide swath of the comedic spectrum, from toilet humor and awkward, cringe-inducing scenarios to genuine heartfelt comedy. It’s not often you see a raunchy comedy that can also impart valuable life lessons. And when the serious scenes became a little overbearing, causing Bridesmaids to feel uneven, the laughter reemerges right on cue. This is a movie that understands its sole purpose is to make us laugh, and it accomplishes that in each scene.

So don’t let the title fool you. Bridesmaids is no chick flick or terrible romantic comedy. It is the funniest movie since The Hangover. There are comedies that come along every once in a while that leave a lasting mark on the audience and become cultural touchstones. Recent examples include Anchorman, The 40-Year Old Virgin and of course The Hangover. Add Bridesmaids to the list.