Review: Tammy

by Trevor Kirkendall

★★

There's no denying that Melissa McCarthy's star power is enormously high at the point in her career. With her breakout role in "Bridesmaids" followed by commercially successful films such as "Identify Thief" and "The Heat," there's no question that audiences love seeing her even though she's never really developed her characters. "Tammy" marks her big screen writing debut, a screenplay she wrote with her husband - and the film's director - Ben Falcone. The problem here is that "Tammy" shows Melissa McCarthy doing what Melissa McCarthy has done before. She has yet to step out of her comfort zone and try a different character.

McCarthy stars as the title character Tammy. I’m not sure if her character is supposed to be stupid or if that’s just the way McCarthy is playing it. Either way, she doesn’t come across as very bright. She loses her job at a fast food restaurant and then learns that her husband Greg (Nat Faxon) has been carrying on with the neighbor Missi (Toni Collette). Tammy leaves and goes to her mom Deb’s (Allison Janney) home. There, she announces she getting out of town and needs to borrow her grandma’s car to do so.

Tammy’s grandmother is Pearl (Susan Sarandon), a profane woman with a very big drinking problem. Tammy isn’t thrilled about this, but Pearl has money so she goes along with it. They decide to go to Niagara Falls.  They must not know their geography too well because they end up in Louisville after starting out somewhere in Illinois. They end up at a bar where they meet Earl (Gary Cole), an old alcoholic farmer who falls all over Pearl, and his son Bobby (Mark Duplass) who Tammy likes. A lot of friction between Pearl and Tammy continues to build, mostly thanks to how she treats Tammy after she’s been drinking. There’s a lot of bad history between these two that is boiling beneath the surface and needs to be resolved.

The problem with “Tammy” is it never really tells you much about that history. A few think come to light, but are quickly cast aside in favor of more McCarthy slapstick humor. I never really understood whom I was supposed to be rooting for. Pearl isn’t all that unlikable until the plot demands her to be. She and Tammy seem to get along fine; they’re just an odd couple. Nothing ever really feels at risk. A definitive conflict is never fully developed.

The only reason for this film’s existence is for McCarthy to get onto movie theater screens and do her thing for the second summer in a row. I’m not saying she’s not funny, nor am I saying the movie isn’t either. The film itself lacks a compelling and fully developed story. McCarthy fans will find connection because she is a funny actress. But the best moments in this film don’t come from her at all. The scenes featuring Kathy Bates (with Sandra Oh playing her girlfriend) are the best in the movie.

Other good moments come between McCarthy and Mark Duplass. Duplass’s Bobby is probably the most developed of all the characters in this film. That doesn’t really surprise me since Duplass is already an accomplished actor/writer/director in his own right. I liked the interaction between him and McCarthy. This provides some rooting interest for Tammy. These are also the scenes where McCarthy leaves her shtick behind and shows a small amount of the acting range she’s capable of achieving.

But honestly, who is going to see “Tammy” looking for McCarthy’s dramatic acting ability? It’s one funny McCarthy moment after the next. The shaky plotline I cannot forgive though. “Bridesmaids” and “The Heat” worked well for her because the story was solid and the film was well written. I think they might also work because McCarthy was the supporting role in those films. We’ll see if audience flock to see “Tammy” like they did with her other films. It might be people don’t think of McCarthy as a leading role. Time will tell on that hypothesis.

For now, “Tammy” is a film for fans of Melissa McCarthy’s unique brand of comedy. Those looking for the next big R-rated summer comedy should probably look elsewhere. Nothing here but the same-old-same-old from a funny actress.

Review: The Way Way Back

by Trevor Kirkendall
★★★½

There’s a comedian I like who tells a joke about sitting in the back seat of a station wagon on a family vacation. Not the back seat but the way, way back seat; the one that faces in reverse. He says that the kids sitting in the back seat of the car tend to have a completely different vacation than everyone else in the car. The comedian wonders, “I wonder what all these signs say?” I think that this particular seat in the old station wagons is what writers/directors Nat Faxon and Jim Rash had in mind when they wrote their brilliant new film “The Way Way Back”. Their main character starts the film sitting in this seat and throughout the rest of the film has completely different vacation than anyone else. This one shot should be enough foreshadowing of the continued brilliance that will follow.

“The Way Way Back” follows 14 year old Duncan (Liam James) during his summer vacation with his mom Pam (Toni Collette), her boyfriend Trent (Steve Carell) and his daughter Stephanie (Zoe Levin). They’re spending a couple of months at Trent’s beach house. Next door lives the persistently intoxicated Betty (Allison Janney), who has no social filter, and her kids Susanna (AnnaSophia Robb) and Peter (River Alexander). We also meet Trent’s friends Kip (Rob Corddry) and Joan (Amanda Peet).

Duncan can’t stand Trent or any of his friends. He doesn’t understand what his mom sees in him. He begins to stay as far away from these people as possible, and begins taking long bike rides around the area. He discovers a nearby water park called Water Wizz and meets the park’s eccentric manager Owen (Sam Rockwell). Owen likes Duncan and all his awkward quirks so he hires him to be a part time help around the park. At Water Wizz, he becomes well liked by the parks frequent visitors and the park’s employees including Caitlin (Maya Rudolph) along with Roddy and Lewis (film’s directors Nat Faxon and Jim Rash).

Duncan’s attitude toward life in general begins to change as a result of his time with Owen working at Water Wizz. He even begins to attract the attention of the pretty girl living next door, Susanna. The two begin to form a friendship, something that might not have otherwise happened without his new life at the waterpark. He’s not even really afraid to share what’s on his mind with his mom and with Trent.

“The Way Way Back” is a brilliant display of what a coming-of-age movie should look like. The dynamic of every character in this film is written with such depth that you quickly lose yourself in the story. There are many moments where you could easily see yourself in Duncan’s shoes, even without the dysfunctional broken home element.

Oscar winning writers Nat Faxon and Jim Rash make their directorial debut with this film, and they’ve hit a home run. They’ve proven their screenwriting expertise on Alexander Payne’s “The Descendants” (which won them their Oscar) was no fluke. The amount of character development in their script vastly exceeds anything else we’ve seen this year. If this much characterization can be packed into such a short script, why can’t we get even a small portion of that in other films?

While the writing of “The Way Way Back” is fantastic, what really drives this film are the various performances from the whole cast. Liam James is on camera for the entire film, so its up to him to carry it. That’s no easy task for anyone, especially for someone his age. But James really takes command of his role. He should remind you of someone you knew when you were that age; if not a friend of yours, than maybe that quiet kid in the back of the class, or maybe even yourself.

The supporting roles, especially those of Toni Collette and Steve Carell, help to bring James’ character up to very a empathetic level. Collette is excellent as always. While she wants to look out for the best interests of her son, she’s also trying to find her happiness in this new life of hers. She’s torn and Collette really showcases it well. On the other hand, we’re used to seeing Carell in goofy and lightheaded rolls, but here he is downright mean. Every line and every glance toward James is that of sarcasm and disgust. He’s lovable in many films, but not here. Here, you have to hate him.

Sam Rockwell once again proves that he’s one of the most underrated and underappreciated actors working today. He turns in yet another unforgettable performance as Duncan’s best friend. He plays the role much like he’s done in the past; its a classic Rockwell performance. But he also brings out a little more depth that he hasn’t show in too many of his films (if you haven’t seen him in “Moon”, that’s one to find). In a film full of many bright spots, he shines the brightest.

“The Way Way Back” is a truly great film. Its a film with so much heart that’s delicately balanced between its scenes of emotion and its scenes of humor. There are so many memorable parts from the time it begins until the time it ends. The ending of the film may feel a little abrupt, but that’s the only thing I can find to complain about. In a summer full of movies that have underperformed expectations, “The Way Way Back” comes out of nowhere and surprises.