Film Review: Amy Schumer Way Too Conventional in ‘Trainwreck’

Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 21, 2015 - 6:59am

CHICAGO – In one of the most anticipated comedies of the summer, Amy Schumer breaks out of her edgy role as a stand-up and sketch artist to put her spin on the film universe in “Trainwreck.” She plays the lead role, is directed by the comic-reputable Judd Apatow, and she wrote the script. Why is it so “meh”?

Rating: 2.5/5.0

It has funny parts, and laugh-out-loud moments, but it also has loads of dead air, cardboard characters, an inability to find an ending and worst of all, redemption. The character is a unrepentant drinker, pot smoker and promiscuous New Yorker, but the story has to give her a rehabilitation and throw in a family subplot that sinks like a stone. There is so much potential here, but most of it is lost in the need to “moralize” the Amy Schumer image. All of her edge is dulled to butter knife qualities, even though there are bits and pieces of the type of sass which makes her stand up comedy zing. If the film’s Amy character was more consistent with the darker territories Schumer explores in her other media, it would have played much better. Instead, we get a dirtier version of a Kate Hudson rom-com, and that’s not positive.

Amy Townsend (Ms. Schumer) has had one life lesson driven in to her head by her father (Colin Quinn) since she was a kid – monogamy doesn’t work. So although she is a notable magazine writer and lives a upper middle class life in New York City, she has stuck to her guns and is a unapologetic drinker, pot smoker and sexual adventurer (albeit one that never gets naked).

When Amy’s Dad needs to go into assisted living, this causes a conflict between her and her sister (Brie Larson). At the same time, the new writing assignment from her editor (Tilda Swinton) is about a sports doctor named Aaron (Bill Hader). While preparing the interview, Amy and Aaron begin to fall for each other. Is this the end of the party, and the beginning of monogamous bliss?

”Trainwreck” is in theaters everywhere. Featuring Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Tilda Swinton, LeBron James, Vanessa Bayer, Colin Quinn, Dave Attell, Daniel Radcliffe and Marisa Tomei. Written by Amy Schumer. Directed by Judd Apatow. Rated “R”