Review of The To Do List (2013) by Jesse O — 22 Nov 2013

This is a solid film that is pretty disappointing considering its pretty risque premise. Granted, they get a lot of decent laughs from the situations Brandy finds herself in, with Aubrey Plaza being really entertaining, but it feels more like a sex sketch movie than a film with an actual narrative.

And, at the same time, it's a movie that plays things surprisingly safe which, again, is a little disappointing considering what could've been done with this. I'm not really complaining about this, but this movie feels like it's more of a showcase for the cast than it is for anything else.

I think if I read the script I'd find it that funny. It's the cast that gives it that edge, where the film is just barely good. The film has some clever moments, mostly in the freeze frames they do when Brandy completes something off her list.

These are probably the funniest part of the film. Or the funniest parts that aren't directly attributed to the cast. And I really hate to say that, because the movie is funny, but not as funny as you would hope considering the cast.

I don't think there was ever a laugh-out-loud moment in the film, only moderate laughs. I almost hate to keep harping on that, but that is the main problem with the film. I do think that the film certainly captures the 90s very well with its cultural references and visual style.

I don't think I have much more to say than that, this film is a showcase for its very talented cast. They do their best with what they're given, but don't expect to remember this film to blow you away by any means.

It lacks a decent narrative, some better developed characters, and it lacks that risk-taking factor that could've really benefited the story Maggie Carey is trying to tell. This is a solid, but quickly forgettable, movie.