There’s been a certain disparity of opinion so far about Paul Feig‘s Bridesmaids (Universal, 5.13). SXSW geek critics found it brilliant, hilarious and innovative, but Variety‘s Joe Leydon trashed it. Universal won’t show this Judd Apatow-produced pic to critics and online columnists until early May, but they’re been screening it for editors and feature writers.

Written by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, Bridesmaids is about feuding bridesmaids played by Wiig and Rose Byrne (Damages). Maya Rudolph plays the bride. Melissa McCarthy, Jon Hamm, Matt Lucas, Ellie Kemper, Dianne Wiestand, the late Jill Clayburgh and Chris O’Dowd costar.

“Wiig delivers a career-best performance that proves she can do much more [than] sketch comedy and funny characters,” wrote /Film‘s Peter Sciretta . “I’d be shocked if Wiig isn’t nominated for Best Actress in a Comedy/Musical at next year’s Golden Globes (a la Emma Stone/Easy A). McCarthy also kills in every scene she’s in.”

Bridesmaids “takes the Apatow formula and applies it to a film populated by funny women,” Sciretta notes. “I’m sure it will be criticized for being misogynistic, even though it is much less so than his other films, on top of being much, much less misandristic than most romantic comedies.”

The LA junket is allegedly happening later this month.

A Houston-based critic informs that Universal’s field office is having four screenings of Bridesmaids in that city between 4.20 and 5.10, and critics, according to one source, have been invited to these so you’ve basically got Houston critics being given a looksee before NY and LA critics…or so it appears.