Review of The Boss (2016) by Lyndsay C — 23 Apr 2016

I saw this movie primarily because of Melissa McCarthy. Like 'Tammy', 'The Boss' is directed by Ben Falcone, McCarthy's husband and longtime collaborator, and written by them both. The duo has earned a reputation for delivering good humor. Also, it is produced by Will Ferrell's Gary Sanchez Productions. This production house has dished out some really good comedies in the past. But in 'The Boss' they all seem to have lost steam. 'The Boss' is a completely bland affair - one of those hit and run films production houses mass produce in off-season, just to keep their people employed.

Story here is completely predictable. It is about an orphan (McCarthy) who ends up as a billionaire only to lose it midway and regain it in the end. The premise is rooted in the common frustrations of ridiculous bosses and mundane modern jobs. The story and screenplay are full of clichéd acts and spineless jokes. There are portions of raw physical comedy too. In a scene (obvious from trailer) McCarthy gets thrown off a sofa bed. There are other scenes involving McCarthy tumbling down a flight of stairs, having sword fights and having fisticuffs. The humor is of poorly calibrated slapstick category. You literally stop laughing after a limit! I actually fast forwarded through many parts in the second half. The plot development seems totally contrived.

An all encompassing on-screen feminine presence is a curious aspect of this film. Even the street fights and classroom brawls have zero male presence! Peter Dinklage and Tyler Labine provide for only a feeble male presence in the film. Looks like neo-feminism is the new fad in Hollywood.

In the end 'The Boss' is a partial one-time-see. I saw it for McCarthy. I found it to be a waste of talent, screen space, time and energy. I expected it to be better - but it certainly is not.