Directed by: Judd Apatow
Written by: Amy Schumer
Cast: Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Brie Larson
Swift shot: Old people and teenagers will think Trainwreck is hilarious. I am neither. I enjoyed the film overall, but like almost all SNL skits, it ran too long. And clearly, Trainwreck served as a bonafide SNL collaboration. If dirty jokes and loose women are your thing, here’s your next Apatow favorite. And, who knew Lebron James could actually act?
Amy Schumer is Amy, because let’s face it, she is playing a caricature of herself anyway. She is a drunk, a slut, and generally not a very good person. In fact, it’s kinda hard to root for her. Her father Gordon, played by Colin Quinn is in an assisted living facility where they manage his Multiple Sclerosis. He is an old cantankerous racist Mets fan, also know as . . . every Mets fan. His younger daughter, Kim (Larson) is married to Tom (Mike Birbiglia) who has a son, Allister (Evan Brinkman). Kim doesn’t like her father very much, and Amy doesn’t really care for Kim’s family. To Amy, a family is a death sentence. In fact, relationships make no sense to her.
Enter Aaron (Hader) who is a renowned surgeon that works on athletes, and Amy’s psychotic boss Dianna (Tilda Swinton), demands that Amy does a story on the doctor. Amy hates sports, apparently this is the one personality trait she didn’t retain from her wonderful father. Almost as soon as Amy meets Aaron, there is an awkward connection. The two start dating, and it looks like Amy is finally going to survive in a relationship. But, no, she’s Amy – she’s a . . . train wreck!
As we watch Amy sabotage her life through the more somber parts of the film, we are allowed to continually laugh as Amy is put into situations out of her element. Watching her navigate the normal world as the freak that she is, is the running joke in Trainwreck.
There’s nothing really noteworthy about Trainwreck, it’s a decent Apatow flick, and Schumer proves she’s got stand-alone talent in the biz. This won’t hurt her career, and her star is only rising. Plus she’s pissing off people on the left all the time lately, so she’s rapidly becoming my favorite filthy, funny gal.
Tasteless dirty jokes, booze, drugs, sex, sports, cheerleaders, Lebron James, SNL, Apatow, and Amy Schumer. That’s what you expect with Trainwreck, and that’s just what you’ll get. I think the old people and teenagers will find the sexual taboos funnier than I did. And, if you’ve ever watched any of Amy’s stand-up, that’s filth stuff is easy for her. I enjoyed the story more than the comedy, actually. I was genuinely wondering how things would work out for Amy and her family and between her and Aaron. I just felt a little bit less time could have been used to tell the story, overall.
