The raunchy, sharp new comedy "Trainwreck" is far from one, though it's not perfect, either. It goes on much too long and often feels redundant, but the film is peppered with enough hilarious moments from its charming breakout star, stand-up comedian Amy Schumer, that it should easily win you over. When she was growing up, Amy (Schumer) was told by her father (Colin Quinn, more likable here than usual), repeatedly, that monogamy is impossible; as a grownup, she is a commitment-phobic but successful magazine writer. But when an interview with a sports doctor (Bill Hader) turns into a night out with a man who seemingly has no defects or hangups Amy can use to justify breaking up, she may have to face whether her fear of commitment is keeping her free, or holding her back. Directed by Judd Apatow ("Knocked Up") and written by Schumer that's a semi-autobiographical sketch of her life, "Trainwreck" is an entertaining, low-brow and overlong comedy with a strong female center. Apatow's uneven direction causes it to occasionally veer off from its true purpose: a very informal, loose romantic comedy, but it has its good points, particularly its likable lead actress, a great cast and some nice laughs. Comedienne Schumer is a delight as the woman whose life is truly in a rut, and her honest, down-to-earth performance should propel her further into stardom; her screenplay is less successful, which is often excessive and a retread of some of her stand-up material. Apatow is a decent fit as director, though as with nearly all of his efforts, it's too long and a little unfocused, with unnecessary characters and longer-than-necessary scenes that could've been trimmed for efficiency and continuity. Of the large cast (including many talented folks: Quinn, Vanessa Bayer, Brie Larson, Mike Birbiglia, Ezra Miller, Randall Park and many others, including cameos from athletes such as Amar'e Stoudemire, Chris Evert and Tony Romo) and aside from Schumer the most memorable include "Inside Out's" Hader, whose everyman, low-key appeal is a perfect compliment to Schumer's high-strung personality; NBA star LeBron James, showing his comic chops, stealing some key scenes from both Schumer and Hader and who dispenses advice with Kanye's "Golddigger" or who tries a romantic intervention with some of his celebrity friends. It's also worth mentioning that it features an unrecognizable but hilarious Oscar-winner Tilda Swinton as Schumer's very glam Anna Wintour-esque boss, who I didn't recognize well into the movie underneath those long, wavy locks and makeup, a far cry from her usual oddball roles. "Trainwreck" has some dirty fun, laugh-out moments (among them: Schumer trying to get pro wrestler John Cena - as one of her boyfriends - to talk nasty in bed) and a hilarious climax with the movie's best scene, Schumer as a Knicks cheerleader seeking to win over Hader. "Trainwreck" could've been a smoother ride especially in its rambling last act, overall lacking the spark and energy of the Apatow-produced "Bridesmaids," but it shows off Schumer's confidence, the chief reason to see the movie and who's obviously poised to go on to greater things after this.
No comments:
Post a Comment