#amy schumer

So you watch this trailer and you think “oh hilarious dysfunctional woman who can’t commit has adorable meet cute with doctor she needs to write a story on for her job and both comedy and romance results.”  In actuality it’s more like “tragically worrisome functional alcoholic who sleeps around and avoids intimacy goes through traumatic life changes while trying to get over commitment issues handed to her by a broken childhood home.”  Basically, I would like to assert that while it had comedic moments I have trouble remembering it as a comedy.

I love Amy Schumer (mostly for her standup specials), I love Bill Hader (who works very well in this as a romantic lead!), and the secondary cast is really on point.  LeBron James is shockingly, one of the funniest characters in this whole movie.  I liked the characters, I wanted them to win the romance, but more importantly I wanted to see Amy Schumer’s character grow enough as a person to be healthy and have happiness.

Something I applaud here is how the romance wasn’t easy, but not 100% because of stupid contrived situations (although it was not totally free of those).  It seemed like the relationship was presented as hard because they were both damaged people, but fundamentally also seemed likable and good.  It made the end have the emotional impact I was looking for, even if some of it tied up too neatly for me.  Overall, worth it.

I’ve been watching a lot of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee and I gotta say I’m always fascinated by the initial awkward call, since many guest seem kinda surprised when Jerry calls them, like they made plans a while ago and they weren’t sure it was actually happening. How does it work? Are they given a time frame during which Seinfeld might come pick them up and drive them around in vehicles that will probably put them in danger, forcing them to have a second breakfast? How long do they sit at home, decently dressed and presentable, waiting for the phone to ring? Do they live in fear for three days? A week? A month? A year? We just don’t know 

FRIENDS! I’ve started writing for another film website (I’m not a traitor, I swear). I will still work on pieces for this blog, but it won’t be my only outlet. Below is my Trainwreck review, originally published on FilmTakeout.com.

Trainwreck

Overall Score: 95%

A rom-com that is anything but a trainwreck.

Currently, this is Amy Schumer’s world and we are all just living in it. Star, writer, director, and producer of the wildly popular Inside Amy Schumer, she is currently owning Hollywood with her unabashedly feminist point of view. Unafraid to talk about her body, her sexual escapades, and the way women behave makes her refreshing in a world of reality tv gone mad. Schumer is now taking her writing and acting to the big screen inTrainwreck. THANK GOODNESS.

Surprise, surprise – the lead character’s name is Amy. From a young age, Amy has been told by her wandering father (played brilliantly by Colin Quinn) that “monogamy isn’t realistic”. Being a daddy’s girl, she takes this to heart and lives a life that is free from romantic ties. Things become a bit more complicated when she meets a sports doctor Aaron (the incredibly charming Bill Hader) who happens to be BFFs with LeBron James.

While the film follows many of the common romantic comedy plot structures, Schumer is able to breathe life into an increasingly stale genre. Surprising characters pop up throughout the film that make it enjoyable from beginning to end. Where else are we going to see a closeted John Cena or a tan Tilda Swinton? The answer is nowhere. There are so many laugh out loud moments that my sides hurt by the end of the movie. But what is even more surprising are the touching moments littered throughout the film. Amy’s relationship with her sister Kim (Brie Larson) and father play a significant part of the story and I found myself with tears in my eyes a few times.

Bill Hader and Amy Schumer have wonderful chemistry with each other. Hader plays Aaron so sincerely; he’s just a nice guy who hasn’t had the best luck with women. He’s smart and kind and it’s easy to see how any girl could fall for him. Naturally, baggage is a part of any relationship and seeing Aaron and Amy work through their own issues gently prods the audience to examine their own. The film easily moves between humor and romance without feeling forced. Even when the typical rom-com montage happens, Amy’s constant snarky narration helps to keep the film from becoming too sappy.

The best part of the film for me personally was LeBron James playing LeBron James. Now, I’m not a sports person, especially not basketball. But Trainwreck made me a fan of this tall, beautiful, funny man. I love when people play caricature versions of themselves and this is maybe a new favorite performance. As a Downton Abbey obsessed, romantic advice giving BFF, James steals every scene he is in. His deadpan style matches Amy’s quirkiness perfectly and the scenes of them together are my favorite.

At the helm of Amy’s sharp, hysterical, and surprisingly poignant writing is Judd Apatow, director of comedies like The 40 Year Old Virgin andKnocked Up. This is my new dream team. Both seem to have a love of dirty jokes – these are endless. But the beauty of this team is that both members want to convey an actual message through the comedy. Apatow has matured in his directing and it is noticeable here. With age comes some understanding and Apatow is no exception. Trainwreck is not just about making us laugh, although you will do plenty of that. It’s about learning to love the broken people in our lives, including (and maybe especially) ourselves. The important thing is that we have to try. Never working on ourselves to be better is easier, but it’s no way to live.”

Directed By: Judd Apatow

Written By: Amy Schumer

Starring: Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Colin Quinn, Brie Larson, LeBron James

Running Time: 2 hours, 2 minutes

Release Date: July 17, 2015

Why are we talking about Bieber, Beyonce, and Black women ? Whyne Wednesday- Weekend Edition

What do Justin Bieber, Amy Schumer, and Beyonce have in common? They’re our topics for the week! We’ll be questioning: dreadlocks, bod- shaming and black power  our special weekend edition of Whyne Wednesdays.   Leave your comments below   Join us as we review a glass of wine while we hope to find answers by questioning current…

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