Review of Blockers (2018) by Joel P — 25 Jun 2018

Strengths: As great as John Cena (Mitchell) is as a wrestler, it's almost like he was born for comedic roles. Like The Rock before him, he's finding a niche in funny roles. After stealing the show in things like Trainwreck and Sisters, he got a big role here and was the most hilarious part of the movie. Every line delivered and every action he did was funny. Leslie Mann (Lisa Decker) was great throughout. Her chemistry with Cena was a highlight, as was the relationship with her daughter Julie (Kathryn Newton). The scene where she's stuck in the hotel room with her daughter and her boyfriend (Graham Phillips) is a treat. Some of the random smaller roles and cameos were hilarious. From Hannibal Buress (Frank) as a stepdad to Gary Cole (Ron) and Gina Gershon (Cathy) as a sex crazed couple. The film is just raunchy enough to live up to the premise without going overboard and still managing to be a bit heartwarming.

Weaknesses: Ike Barinholtz (Hunter) is too over the top. He doesn't quite click with Mann and Cena, with his antics and performance just going overboard. It felt like he was trying too hard where the others were natural. I've also heard a lot of praise for Geraldine Viswanathan (Kayla). She's good in the role, but the character is inconsistent. She goes from barely wanting to be part of the pact to being more invested into doing wild stuff than anyone else. It felt like a stretch. As funny as the movie is, it doesn't break any new ground and follows beats you've come to expect from this specific genre of comedy.

Overall: Kay Cannon does a great job helming this comedy. It's flat out funny, with John Cena and Leslie Mann being great. There are a few inconsistencies and tropes to get past, but it's overall just a fun way to spend an hour and a half or so.