Trainwreck

Grade: C+

After a showing of Judd Apatow’s Trainwreck, I overheard this comment in the parking lot: “You know what really surprised me was the emotion.” I can’t get on board with that statement, as I found the scenes of conflict and “emotion” to be clunky, unnatural, and contrived. There are two arguments (one at a funeral and one after an acceptance speech) where I felt my face make a disbelieving squint, because I wondered where they came from. I saw little to no evidence of a buildup to these, and they seemed to exist solely to further the screenplay, which had a good handful of credibility problems. The ending is as shameless as it is nonsensical. After an unnecessary bit where a subway train breaks down, there is no payoff to this, and it is soon abandoned, and then we are supposed to believe all that follows was successfully and conveniently put together at the last minute, as far as we know. It’s a shame. Amy Schumer has quickly become one of my favorite female comedians, and people who have seen her stand-up specials will recognize some of her routines have been written into the movie. I have always admired Bill Hader as well, and he is effective here. LeBron James steals the show as Hader’s friend, and adds some refreshing notes to the cliche of the Rom Com Leading Man’s Best Friend and Advice Giver. All other celebrity cameos were a ridiculous attempt at parading on familiar faces and having them say some out-of-character dialogue for the purpose of shock value. There wasn’t a single moment in that intervention scene at the gym that rang true for me. Colin Quinn plays Schumer’s dad. I learn from IMDB that he is 22 years older than Schumer, so they could be father and daughter, but Quinn wears his age so well that I thought he was much closer to her age. He was a sore thumb – I’d have wanted them to go older with that casting.

Did I laugh? On several occasions, and sometimes loudly. However, that wasn’t enough this time. I am thrilled that Amy Schumer is rising up the fame food chain. I am looking forward to seeing her bounce back from this and do better things. This isn’t an ideal vehicle for her. Grade: C+