Tammy - Movie Review
Rating: 2 out of 5
Melissa McCarthy is clearly in a rut: the title character in this film isn't very far removed from her previous roles in The Heat and Identity Thief. Yes, Tammy is another chubby slob who is on the road to some sort of epiphany, and along the way she realises that simply running a comb through her ratty hair might make her look more human. At least the film has a seriously strong supporting cast who almost make it worth a look.
Tammy (McCarthy) is sacked from her job at a fast-food outlet on the same day she discovers that her husband (Faxon) is having a fling with a neighbour (Tony Collette). In a childish rage, she runs home to her parents (Allison Janney and Dan Aykroyd) and then decides to keep running, taking her grandmother Pearl (Sarandon) along for the ride. Pearl has a dream to see Niagara Falls before she dies, but she's just about as immature as Tammy is, so they immediately start getting into trouble. Their antics include a series of incidents involving a jet-ski, flirting and more with a father and son (Gary Cole and Mark Duplass), robbing a burger joint and attending a raucous 4th of July party at the home of Pearl's wealthy cousin (Kathy Bates).
Tammy is even less worldly wise than McCarthy's previous variations on the character: she has never even attempted to grow up, so reacts to everything like a toddler. Aside from not being remotely funny, this is deeply annoying from the start. And even the characters around her don't laugh - they roll their eyes in exasperation. Then after establishing her as a relentless loser who brings misfortune on herself, the script (written by McCarthy and her real-life husband Ben Falcone, who also directs and appears as Tammy's boss) contrives to make Tammy sympathetic by portraying her as some sort of a victim. Meanwhile, she of course slowly begins to look less cartoonish simply because she changes her shirt and takes a shower along the way.
In other words, everything about the film sits right on the surface. Even the romantic plot-thread feels paper-thin, but it's more engaging than the idiotic comedy mayhem. At least the film passes briskly, never lingering very long over its more pointless gags while offering some funny moments to Sarandon and the cameo-style supporting cast. In other words, there's possibly a decent film in this material if the pratfalls were edited out and the focus was instead put on the character interaction and family issues. These things have hints of resonance and real humour to them, but the random barrage of slapstick is merely exhausting.
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Facts and Figures
Year: 2014
Genre: Comedy
Run time: 97 mins
In Theaters: Wednesday 2nd July 2014
Box Office USA: $84.5M
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production compaines: New Line Cinema, Gary Sanchez Productions
Reviews
Contactmusic.com: 2 / 5
Rotten Tomatoes: 24%
Fresh: 39 Rotten: 126
IMDB: 4.8 / 10
Cast & Crew
Director: Ben Falcone
Producer: Melissa McCarthy, Will Ferrell, Adam McKay
Screenwriter: Melissa McCarthy, Ben Falcone
Starring: Melissa McCarthy as Tammy, Susan Sarandon as Pearl, Kathy Bates as Lenore, Allison Janney as Deb, Dan Aykroyd as Don, Gary Cole as Earl, Sandra Oh as Susan, Mark Duplass as Bobby, Toni Collette as Missi, Nat Faxon as Greg, Ben Falcone as Keith, Sarah Baker as Becky, Mia Rose Frampton as Karen, Rich Williams as Larry, Steve Little as Jet Ski Rental Guy, Dakota Lee as Kathleen, Mark L. Young as Jesse, Steve Mallory as Cashier, Big Al Hall as Possum Creek Bluegrass Band, Jones Smith as Possum Creek Bluegrass Band, Joe Baxter as Possum Creek Bluegrass Band, Benjamin Chontos as Possum Creek Bluegrass Band, Sean Gould as Possum Creek Bluegrass Band, Keith Welborn as DJ, Oscar Gale as Javier, Willie Hill as Prison Guard, Zach Hanner as Man at Blue Post Bar-B-Que, Jason Vail as Man at Blue Post Bar-B-Que, Leon Lamar as Old Man with Walker, Larry Dorf as Officer Mannis, Ricky Muse as Officer Curtis, Barbara Weetman as Officer Carty, William Flaman as La Grange Bail Cop, Rey Hernandez as Cop at Lakehouse, Penn Charles Holderness as News Anchor, Michelle Li as News Reporter, Raven Whisnant as Charlotte, Damon Jones as Jerry Miller, Sandy McCarthy as Two Old Ladies Leaving a Bar, Margo Passas as Two Old Ladies Leaving a Bar
Also starring: Will Ferrell, Adam McKay