In Amy Schumer’s Trainwreck, heart beats out rowdy

/ July 20, 2015
(From IMdB.com)

(From IMdB.com)

Amy Schumer’s comic mind surely worked overtime to come up with Trainwreck. The rising star wrote the script, as you probably know unless you’re living in one of the few places where they haven’t beamed her deserving face on a morning or evening show interview these past couple of weeks, and then passed it along into the reputable directing hands of the man who made hits out of The Forty Year Old Virgin, Bridesmaids and more, Judd Apatow.

Then she starred alongside Bill Hader, Colin Quinn and Brie Larson, sleeping around and drinking too much, smoking a bit of weed … you know, acting just like all those guys you’ve seen in a whole long line of comedies you’ve seen that have come down the line before this one.

The full house Sunday matinee in the Regal Cinamas theater in the Syracuse mega shopping, dining and entertainment complex Destiny USA cheered on and laughed at her moves and predicaments they caused. There were a lot of women her age around me and my dear wife Karen, I had noted when the house lights were still on, but enough of their significant others and couples and more seasoned in these things too. So call it a blended crowd.

I was amused, too, but I also squirmed to some of the rawness of her sex situations, and a few of the topics thrown out at pitch meetings at the magazine where reporter Amy worked.

Then her bossy boss assigned her to write a piece on a sports surgeon, and therein her funny and raunchy story found its heart and soul. And I was able to forgive and forget my misgivings.

She knows nothing about sports even though her serial adulterous father, played by Quinn, is now an ill lifelong Mets fan she and her sister have had to move out of his house and into an extended care facility. The doc, played by Hider, finds that ignorance and her attractive, and even goes along to make nice to ornery pops. She who has sworn off love doesn’t know how to handle a nice guy. Throw in her complicated relationship with her younger sister, played by Larson, who’s quite happily married to a nice guy with a smart stepson, and Amy’s swimming in strange waters.

Schumer and Hider seem quite different in real life, too. If you saw his tall, dark and storkish self walking down the street with her short, ginger and sturdy self you’d think they were just friends. That makes their on-screen chemistry even more fun.

Their fights and delights keep you hanging on. Great work, Amy Schumer and all involved.

Do you think Hollywood was overdue for a film of this genre from the women’s point of view? Have you seen any of the Amy Schumer interviews, and if so, what do you think of this new comic star? What’s your favorite Judd Apatow movie, and why?

Related posts

31 thoughts on “In Amy Schumer’s Trainwreck, heart beats out rowdy”

  2. I so agree with this review, Mr. B. We went to see it on Sat night because we were seeking some much needed laughs. The theater was packed at 7:25 and like at your theater, it was a mix of people. I just took it all in and let it entertain me – and that it did! We were pleasantly surprised at how well done it was and written. She nailed it!

    Like

    Reply

  4. Schumer and Apatow are both known for bawdy humor. I liked her when I first saw her stand-up, but there is only so much I could take about the promiscuous sex. I don’t feel like I’m a prude, but everything young women see on TV or movies tells them that it’s totally okay to sleep around and “find your way” and intimacy is just this thing to be flung about at your whim. It’s not empowering to sleep around; you lose a bit of yourself with every person you give yourself to. So I hope the film doesn’t glamorize that part of it. That said, she can be quite funny. She’s not afraid to say rude or risky things. I cringed just watching her on the Today show last week, hoping she’d keep it morning-friendly. I do love Hader, though. He is storkish, as you said, and I can totally see him as the nice guy she doesn’t understand. You go through so many players as a young women, it’s hard to believe nice guys DO exist, so it’s only natural she would be vexed.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  6. I usually relate to a lot of what Apatow does, the good and the bad. I love Bill Hader and Amy Schumer is raw, but one of the few original women comics out there today…so, thanks for the review, Mark. I’ll be checking this one out. ☺ Van

    Like

    Reply

  7. I’m sure we will rent this film.
    I am a big fan of Amy Schumer, because she tells it like it is.
    I’m not a Judd Apatow fan, although some of his movies make me laugh. I call them “Stupid Movies” which I’m sure is his goal, but they’re not really my preferred genre.

    Like

    Reply

  10. i loved every scene, even the uncomfortable ones. the audience around me did as well. much funnier than i expected, and with an unexpected sweet twist as well.

    Like

    Reply

  11. I was supposed to see it this weekend but didn’t get to; I did get a text from my friend who was able to go and it said “Netflix”. I trust that review (along with yours,of course!) Frat humor doesn’t bother me, and even “worse” humor is fine too (loved the first Ted movie) so for my friend to think this was a wait and see I have to wonder if it’s the same things you mentioned.

    Like

    Reply

    • The movie changes course drastically from the frat to more serious stuff, J. I would have thought Netflix, too, if it hadn’t. When you do see it, tell me what you think. And … Ted, really? I only saw 2 and hated it.

      Like

      Reply

      • Oh, I saw the original and about died laughing. Definitely not the type of humor I am proud to be a fan of most days, but sometimes something below “frat boy” level is needed. I had to convince my best friend to go with me; in return I had to see Magic Mike that same day (the original of that one too). Now THAT was a trainwreck for sure.

        Like

  12. You know I really liked the trailers, but they are typically the best of the show anyway, so that’s not always a good measure. Your review was very positive Mark – and there is that, as I find that our tastes are similar. That said, I really find Schumer’s humor to be very base – leveraging sex and body functions for a laugh. I generally don’t like that a lot of that type of humor and have been unable to watch even 1/2 hour of her show without turning the channel in disgust. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no prude and get a laugh from those types of jokes when they are done in the context of a larger story or presentation. Depending on them solely for all the entertainment just gets old real fast for me.

    Maybe this movie is different. We shall see. Thanks for the review Mark.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • I judged the movie solely on its own, Paul. And the story was a good one, I thought, obviously. What you said about the sex humor, that’s how I felt at the top of the film, and as I write, I was squirming.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

Leave a reply to markbialczak Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.