Review of Life of the Party (2018) by Amyj D — 07 Nov 2018

Strengths: Melissa McCarthy (Deanna Miles) does the Melissa McCarthy thing in this movie. If you like her, youâ(TM)ll most likely enjoy this movie. Sheâ(TM)s fine in it. The supporting cast is strong, with Molly Gordon (Maddie Miles), Gillian Jacobs (Helen), Maya Rudolph (Christine Davenport), and Debby Ryan (Jennifer) all doing well. They offer a handful of decent comedic moments throughout this.

Weaknesses: Other than Deanna and Christine, most of the characters arenâ(TM)t given much to work with. Helen was one of the more interesting people in the movie, but she doesnâ(TM)t do a whole lot and her character doesnâ(TM)t really grow. Many of the jokes fall flat regardless of character. As noted, McCarthy is doing her thing and if you donâ(TM)t like that, this will not work for you. Hell, even if you do enjoy it, itâ(TM)s tiring at this point. The movie is ripe with clichà (C)s and doesnâ(TM)t do anything to make it stand out from tons of other similar films.

Overall: Itâ(TM)s Melissa McCarthy doing what sheâ(TM)s known for, just not as well as she can. A forgettable movie, but one that isnâ(TM)t a total waste of time.