Trainwreck (B+) Movie Review
Trainwreck stars Amy Schumer, one of 2015's biggest breakout stars and also the writer of the film, as Amy. Amy is a party girl who's mostly invested in her career and family, not really looking to settle down. That is, until she meets Aaron, played by Bill Hader, the sports doctor she's profiling for the magazine to which she's employed.
Amy Schumer has gotten a ton of attention this past year (that's not something I really need to tell you) but here, she's making her feature film debut as a writer (she did have a bit acting part in 2012's Seeking a Friend for the End of the World). And Trainwreck itself has gotten a lot of attention too, mainly for its refreshing take on gender stereotypes.
And that's really the crowning glory of the film, in my opinion. It's what prevents this entire film from being one long, cliche and predictable reheating of elements we've seen before albeit very funny. Schumer plays the conventional "man" type and Hader is more the female in the relationship, looking to settle down. And this feminist bite is accompanied with a lot of hilarious jokes that would not have been possible without this unique set up.
And then there's Amy Schumer who really proves herself here. We all knew that she is great with timing, her humor is edgy, and she's an all-around charismatic person. But what's surprising here is her ability as a dramatic actress. She has more than a couple emotional scenes and she handles them quite well. Props to Amy Schumer for delivering one of the most underrated performances of the year.
Bill Hader is also funny, though it's a departure from the things we normally see him do and a character that I would imagine is much closer to his real self: a pretty normal guy with a great sense of humor. I don't want to say he plays the "straight man" in this comedy but his humor is indeed toned down.
Of course, I can't talk about performances in this film without mentioning the outstanding supporting cast. Tilda Swinton does something completely different than what we've seen her do, Vanessa Bayer proves to be quite good outside of SNL, Colin Quinn gives a really fun performance as Amy's dad, and then there's LeBron James and John Cena. John Cena, who plays the "typical" overly-attached "girlfriend" is hilarious and based off of some deleted scenes I've seen, a great improviser. LeBron James is equally funny (if not more so) because his character is so different than I'd imagine him to be in real life. He's a fan of Downton Abbey, he's a very concerned friend, and he's essentially a sensitive guy.
There are some feelings that I'm still sorting out about this one though. There are times when it felt like Schumer backed off of her view of monogamy not being realistic for everyone but then, I think that the film is a simple story about a woman choosing to live her life in a different way and that this "party girl" persona just isn't working for her anymore. Still though, the "feminist bite" is mainly consistent throughout.
I'm hesitant to label the film as "feminist" because although not the definition, I feel like that word will inherently alienate some males from seeing this film. This is by no means a "chick flick" and it's still a very accessible watch for men too.
Trainwreck is smart above everything. It knows that its narrative is mainly predictable but it also doesn't really care. It's hilarious and surprising in how effective it is in its dramatic moments. Don't be surprised if you notice your eyes leaking a little bit. In a time where we don't see a lot of good comedies, this is a pretty darn good one.
FINAL GRADE: B+
MPAA RATING: R for strong sexual content, nudity, language and some drug use
Amy Schumer has gotten a ton of attention this past year (that's not something I really need to tell you) but here, she's making her feature film debut as a writer (she did have a bit acting part in 2012's Seeking a Friend for the End of the World). And Trainwreck itself has gotten a lot of attention too, mainly for its refreshing take on gender stereotypes.
And that's really the crowning glory of the film, in my opinion. It's what prevents this entire film from being one long, cliche and predictable reheating of elements we've seen before albeit very funny. Schumer plays the conventional "man" type and Hader is more the female in the relationship, looking to settle down. And this feminist bite is accompanied with a lot of hilarious jokes that would not have been possible without this unique set up.
And then there's Amy Schumer who really proves herself here. We all knew that she is great with timing, her humor is edgy, and she's an all-around charismatic person. But what's surprising here is her ability as a dramatic actress. She has more than a couple emotional scenes and she handles them quite well. Props to Amy Schumer for delivering one of the most underrated performances of the year.
Bill Hader is also funny, though it's a departure from the things we normally see him do and a character that I would imagine is much closer to his real self: a pretty normal guy with a great sense of humor. I don't want to say he plays the "straight man" in this comedy but his humor is indeed toned down.
Of course, I can't talk about performances in this film without mentioning the outstanding supporting cast. Tilda Swinton does something completely different than what we've seen her do, Vanessa Bayer proves to be quite good outside of SNL, Colin Quinn gives a really fun performance as Amy's dad, and then there's LeBron James and John Cena. John Cena, who plays the "typical" overly-attached "girlfriend" is hilarious and based off of some deleted scenes I've seen, a great improviser. LeBron James is equally funny (if not more so) because his character is so different than I'd imagine him to be in real life. He's a fan of Downton Abbey, he's a very concerned friend, and he's essentially a sensitive guy.
There are some feelings that I'm still sorting out about this one though. There are times when it felt like Schumer backed off of her view of monogamy not being realistic for everyone but then, I think that the film is a simple story about a woman choosing to live her life in a different way and that this "party girl" persona just isn't working for her anymore. Still though, the "feminist bite" is mainly consistent throughout.
I'm hesitant to label the film as "feminist" because although not the definition, I feel like that word will inherently alienate some males from seeing this film. This is by no means a "chick flick" and it's still a very accessible watch for men too.
Trainwreck is smart above everything. It knows that its narrative is mainly predictable but it also doesn't really care. It's hilarious and surprising in how effective it is in its dramatic moments. Don't be surprised if you notice your eyes leaking a little bit. In a time where we don't see a lot of good comedies, this is a pretty darn good one.
FINAL GRADE: B+
MPAA RATING: R for strong sexual content, nudity, language and some drug use