Review of Tammy (2014) by Jc E — 02 Sep 2014

Melissa McCarthy (The Heat) is on fire - a phrase which will probably get Alicia Key's "Girl on Fire" stuck in your head. Regardless, after an Academy Award-nominated performance in 'Bridesmaids', an Emmy-winning role in "Mike & Molly", and a slew of projects that has catapulted her to the forefront of comedic acting, it doesn't look like she's going away any time soon. The woman has undeniable charisma, despite her plus-size figure. For this flick, her husband, Ben Falcone (The Heat), makes his directorial debut. But is the idea of a grandmother-granddaughter road trip as enticing as other road trip movies like 'Thelma & Louise' and 'Due Date'?

Tammy (McCarthy) is having a bad day. She hit a deer on her way to work. Her boss (Falcone) fired her. She caught her husband (Nat Faxon, 'Bad Teacher') with their neighbor (Toni Collette, 'Hitchcock'). And the idea of moving in with her mom (Allison Janney, 'The Help') isn't exactly on her list of great things to happen today. So she decides to hit the road, and she takes her grandma (Susan Sarandon, 'The Lovely Bones') with her. Her grandma is a pill-popping alcoholic, so naturally shenanigans ensue. A series of events put them on the run from the law, all while their personal issues come bubbling to the surface.

Road trip movies generally come with the predictable hijinks - drunkenness, a crime, a trip to jail, and growing closer to one another after a fight. This movie doesn't really deviate from the formula, but just kind of changes up the dynamic a little. A grandmother-granddaughter road trip isn't exactly what one generally thinks of in a road trip movie, but with McCarthy and Sarandon, it works for the most part. The dysfunction between them and the rest of their family makes it somewhat relatable, but at times leaves viewers wanting. The chemistry between McCarthy and Mark Duplass ("The League") is pretty nonexistent, but it's not a major focal point of the movie. Still, it's nice to see the institution of marriage somewhat honored by a central character.

Let's just be honest here - there was a point where the critics probably jumped ship on this one. Oh, they probably loved the idea of a successful lesbian couple a la 'The Kids are All Right' with Kathy Bates ("The Office") and Sandra Oh (Rabbit Hole), but they probably bristled up and started their scathing reviews just before the third act. It was a throwaway line about the price of gas being tied to ObamaCare, but you know how these dyed-in-the-wool, out-of-touch critics can be when a movie (or anyone) dares to mock a Democratic cornerstone. They get defensive, dismissive, play the race card, and then run around with their hair on fire. Also, since the movie takes place outside the confines of New York and Los Angeles, they probably have no idea what is going on. It's actually refreshing to see a comedy set in flyover country.

In the pantheon of all things McCarthy, this one falls kind of in between 'Identity Thief' and 'The Heat'. She is the main draw here and rightfully so. The woman is hilarious, and Falcone does a pretty good job of highlighting her strengths. Probably the main drawback is that it lacks someone to compete on McCarthy's level. Sandra Bullock held her own against her in 'The Heat', whereas Jason Bateman didn't have a chance against her in 'Identity Thief'. Sarandon only does a so-so job. This movie is entertaining for what it is, but is no game changer. It's kind of interesting to see how a heavy woman can entertain the masses in spite of her figure. In Hollywood, thin is always in. But with firebrands like McCarthy and Jennifer Lawrence throwing that cliché out the window, things may not change, but at least there are detractors.