Amy Schumer writes and stars in Trainwreck, directed by Judd Apatow. If you enjoyed Anchorman (2004) or Bridesmaids (2013), this modern and fast-paced comedy is definitely for you.
“Monogamy is unrealistic.” That’s the message that Amy Townsend (Amy Schumer) has had drilled into her head by her father, Gordon (Colin Quinn) since she and her sister were young. At the start of the film we see that Amy has fully embraced this sentiment in her late twenties by having numerous one-night stands (but she’s “kinda sorta” dating Steven [John Cena] – the breakup inevitably happens fast). Amy works at a male humor magazine called S’nuff under Dianna (Tilda Swinton), who is considering Amy for an editorial promotion. To her dismay, Dianna assigns Amy to work on an article about Aaron Conners (Bill Hader), a sports doctor who happens to be besties with LeBron James. Although she hates sports, Aaron and Amy connect during the interview. The interview turns into dinner, dinner turns into drinks, and drinks turn into a cab ride to Aaron’s apartment. Despite Amy’s best efforts to stop it, a relationship develops between the two. Now treading in unchartered waters, Amy tries to keep her frivolous past and inexperience in exclusivity from putting a damper on the romance.
A failed relationship in the making…
Trainwreck is the first film that Schumer has written, and she does a great job. The plot feels like a flipped romantic comedy. If this were a classic rom-com, it would be the boy who’d struggle with commitment and have a marijuana problem. But no. Amy is the so-named “trainwreck” in this film, making it all the more intriguing and – dare I say it – relatable. The dialogue flows well from character to character, and at several parts it even comes off as unscripted. Schumer uses a good mix of comedy, including sarcasm, slap-stick, and toilet humor. To put it simply, Trainwreck is HILARIOUS. One thing that I will say is that towards the end of the film it feels like the plot has less effort put into it; there’s a certain contradictory scene that does not flow with the storyline. It feels like a time-filler. Nonetheless, as the writer Schumer definitely has something to be proud of.
The cast of the film has great chemistry, particularly Schumer and Hader. I’d never considered Bill Hader dreamy, but I definitely felt some butterflies for him during the movie. Hader pulls off the awkward-but-cute-and-smart doctor character very well. Now…my unpopular opinion: I did feel that Schumer was a bit out of place for her role. Personality-wise she was great. However, she doesn’t have the look of someone who would hook up with a different person every night. As much as I love seeing a woman who isn’t a size 2 as the lead in the movie, I think this film is actually the type that is written for a size 2. John Cena has a supporting role in the film, but he manages to make the most of it. It’s always funny to see a giant bodybuilder be emotional…Cena delivers on this and is one of the most memorable aspects of the film.
Aren’t they just disgusting(ly cute)?
The best films are the ones that make you laugh and cry. While watching Trainwreck, I found myself laughing…and then crying…and then laughing until I cried again. Apatow, Schumer, and Hader are certainly a victorious team; one that I hope to see more of in future productions.
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