MOVIE OF THE WEEK #1 (7/17/15): TRAINWRECK
 |
| "What do you mean you're a Golden State Warriors fan?!" Amy (Amy Schumer) has a serious moment with LeBron James (playing himself), a patient and concerned friend of renown sports surgeon Dr. Aaron Conners (Bill Hader, not pictured) in a scene from TRAINWRECK, which Schumer wrote and Judd Apatow directed. Credit: Mary Cybulski © 2015 Universal Pictures. All Rights Reserved. |
KEY CAST MEMBERS: Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, LeBron James, Colin Quinn, Brie Larson, Vanessa Hudgens, Tilda Swinton, Mike Birbiglia, Ezra Miller, John Cena and a bunch of stand-up comedians you may or may not recognize
WRITER(S): Amy Schumer
DIRECTOR(S): Judd Apatow
60 SECOND PLOT SUMMARY (OR AS CLOSE TO THAT TIME AS ONE CAN MAKE IT): Trainwreck stars comedy's it girl of the moment Amy Schumer as Amy Townsend, a writer currently spending her days working as a writer at an over-the-top men's magazine in New York City fashioned after Maxim. While her sister Kim (Brie Larson) has found wedded bliss with her husband (Mike Birbiglia) and their son Allister (Evan Brinkman), Amy takes after her father (Colin Quinn) – meaning she drinks too much, gets high too often and pretty much runs away from any member of the opposite sex before they have any chance to turn their fling into an actual relationship.
A wrench is thrown into her perfect little world, however, when she is given an assignment to do a profile on Dr. Aaron Conners (Bill Hader), top surgeon to many of today's star athletes including his close friend LeBron James (playing himself or at least a version of himself as the case may be). The problem is that Aaron takes a liking to Amy ... And the more time she gets to spend with him, Amy finds herself feeling more and more like there could be a reason to actually try to have a boyfriend.
That revelation, of course, is not one she is ready to handle by any means.
A wrench is thrown into her perfect little world, however, when she is given an assignment to do a profile on Dr. Aaron Conners (Bill Hader), top surgeon to many of today's star athletes including his close friend LeBron James (playing himself or at least a version of himself as the case may be). The problem is that Aaron takes a liking to Amy ... And the more time she gets to spend with him, Amy finds herself feeling more and more like there could be a reason to actually try to have a boyfriend.
That revelation, of course, is not one she is ready to handle by any means.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Amy Schumer fans, LeBron James fans, Colin Quinn fans, Judd Apatow fans who like it when he tightens up his movies as opposed to letting them ramble, fans of Comedy Central and the stand-up comedians they promote
WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN'T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? Amy Schumer haters and people who are still mad at Schumer for old tweets, guys who don't think women are funny on principle, Miami Heat fans, John Cena fans who aren't used to seeing him outside of his WWE comfort zone, people with aging parents
SO, IS IT GOOD, BAD OR ABSOLUTELY AWFUL? First making her presence known to the public via outlets like Last Comic Standing and Comedy Central's roasts of Charlie Sheen and Roseanne Barr, Schumer's eponymous sketch series Inside Amy Schumer is what propelled her to mainstream stardom in 2013.
Now, with the perfect anti-romantic comedy romantic comedy well-suited to today's world of Tinder hook-ups and Snapchats, Schumer – along with director Judd Apatow – has crafted one of 2015's most entertaining movies.
As much as we hate to admit it, it seems for the most part that the days of simply walking up, asking someone out on a date and then starting a relationship have come and are mostly gone. Be it technology, the sexual revolution, the increased pace of the work world, modern dating feels like a reality show as it is a trainwreck in which many of us can't stop participating. Trainwreck highlights all of this with sharp, unexpected in many moments and sharp hilarity that excels thanks to the committed performances of all parties involved.
Given the writing/directing combo's pedigree, not to mention the fact the film is chock full of veteran stand-up comedians (it's like a comedy central who's who of the last 4 years), it should come as no surprise that Trainwreck is funny. What may be surprising, however, is just who it is making you laugh and why. Essentially an examination in role reversal for the first two-thirds of the film, Trainwreck features guys in the role of innocents facing heartbreak and being sensitive to the desires of a relationship and Schumer essentially taking on the traditional undesirable male traits of the "hit-it-and-quit-it" style of dating. It almost serves as a comment on the idea of male dominance of the opposite sex making him a "man," but it also doesn't make Schumer's character come off as a representation of all women as much as it does just her father's daughter given his nature as explained at the beginning of the film. This in turn makes her character's later actions feel authentic as she confronts her ways, which then enhances the story and entertainment value of it all.
The film wouldn't work so well without the committed performances of Schumer's co-stars as several of the film's big name co-stars – ESPECIALLY John Cena as a seemingly sexually confused bodybuilder and LeBron James as LeBron James, conscientious friend who is a little aloof how taltented he is – either plays things against type or to sharp comedic perfection. Whereas Tilda Swinton is so biting as a Devil Wears Prada style editor at Schumer's character's magazine, Quinn is somehow lovable as a curmudgeon who loves his girls despite his ways.
James, yes, JAMES is probably Trainwreck's biggest winner as the two-time NBA champion gets to show a side of himself that you likely never knew existed in the film. A major character in the film, James shows both humility and aloofness in his role that really delivers, whether you are a fan of his or not. Hader and Larson likewise play perfectly opposite Schumer, their actions serving as the conscience Quinn's character often kind of destroys. This all makes things much more impactful when Schumer's character "breaks" character in her more sympathetic moments.
All in all, the way comedy is under attack now – Schumer being one of the stand-up stars goaded/forced into/making issuing well-stated apologies – Trainwreck will no doubt leave some saying the film plays up whatever insert stereotype here for cheap/easy laughs. Those with the ability to be discerning and laugh at well-thought out humor that plays fair to BOTH sexes, however, will be treated to what may arguably be the summer's funniest film to date, as well as a movie that will serve as a good outlet for one.
Now, with the perfect anti-romantic comedy romantic comedy well-suited to today's world of Tinder hook-ups and Snapchats, Schumer – along with director Judd Apatow – has crafted one of 2015's most entertaining movies.
As much as we hate to admit it, it seems for the most part that the days of simply walking up, asking someone out on a date and then starting a relationship have come and are mostly gone. Be it technology, the sexual revolution, the increased pace of the work world, modern dating feels like a reality show as it is a trainwreck in which many of us can't stop participating. Trainwreck highlights all of this with sharp, unexpected in many moments and sharp hilarity that excels thanks to the committed performances of all parties involved.
Given the writing/directing combo's pedigree, not to mention the fact the film is chock full of veteran stand-up comedians (it's like a comedy central who's who of the last 4 years), it should come as no surprise that Trainwreck is funny. What may be surprising, however, is just who it is making you laugh and why. Essentially an examination in role reversal for the first two-thirds of the film, Trainwreck features guys in the role of innocents facing heartbreak and being sensitive to the desires of a relationship and Schumer essentially taking on the traditional undesirable male traits of the "hit-it-and-quit-it" style of dating. It almost serves as a comment on the idea of male dominance of the opposite sex making him a "man," but it also doesn't make Schumer's character come off as a representation of all women as much as it does just her father's daughter given his nature as explained at the beginning of the film. This in turn makes her character's later actions feel authentic as she confronts her ways, which then enhances the story and entertainment value of it all.
The film wouldn't work so well without the committed performances of Schumer's co-stars as several of the film's big name co-stars – ESPECIALLY John Cena as a seemingly sexually confused bodybuilder and LeBron James as LeBron James, conscientious friend who is a little aloof how taltented he is – either plays things against type or to sharp comedic perfection. Whereas Tilda Swinton is so biting as a Devil Wears Prada style editor at Schumer's character's magazine, Quinn is somehow lovable as a curmudgeon who loves his girls despite his ways.
James, yes, JAMES is probably Trainwreck's biggest winner as the two-time NBA champion gets to show a side of himself that you likely never knew existed in the film. A major character in the film, James shows both humility and aloofness in his role that really delivers, whether you are a fan of his or not. Hader and Larson likewise play perfectly opposite Schumer, their actions serving as the conscience Quinn's character often kind of destroys. This all makes things much more impactful when Schumer's character "breaks" character in her more sympathetic moments.
All in all, the way comedy is under attack now – Schumer being one of the stand-up stars goaded/forced into/making issuing well-stated apologies – Trainwreck will no doubt leave some saying the film plays up whatever insert stereotype here for cheap/easy laughs. Those with the ability to be discerning and laugh at well-thought out humor that plays fair to BOTH sexes, however, will be treated to what may arguably be the summer's funniest film to date, as well as a movie that will serve as a good outlet for one.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
Comments
Post a Comment