Trainwreck review
Judd Apatow, director of Knocked Up, 40 Year-Old Virgin and Pineapple Express isn’t known for his lead female characters. His films usually focus a lot more on the world of men, yet in Trainwreck it’s all about the women. That is thanks to comedienne Amy Schumer, who wrote the script specifically for Apatow; she also undertakes the leading lady role.
First things first, Trainwreck is utterly hilarious, and is easily the best female-centric comedy since Bridesmaids. There are a lot of genuine laughs throughout, and for once they’re aimed at the female market. Schumer is laugh-out-loud funny and is sure to rise to the top of the funny female celebrity pile. However, the story feels a little worn and, whilst there is the gender reversal of having the female wary of commitment and the male ready to dive on in, it lacks a certain freshness.
The story starts out with Amy and her younger sister Kim (Brie Larson) as young girls whose father is explaining the reason why he and their mother are no longer together. His analogy using dolls is inspired and starts the laughs rolling within the opening moments. We then flash forwards to the present and witness Amy on a string of drink fuelled one night stands. Her status-quo is interrupted when an assignment for the men’s mag she works for has her cross paths with sport’s surgeon Aaron. After an awkward initial encounter sparks fly and Amy finds herself on the verge of her first proper adult relationship. It’s around here that the pace lets up ever so slightly and we fall into the typical rom-com pitfalls and tropes that we have all been brought up with.
Trainwreck review
What really makes Trainwreck great is its cameos. Both Marisa Tomei and Daniel Radcliffe pop up several times in a film within the film, about a lonely woman who falls in love with the young man who walks her dogs. Tilda Swinton is honestly barely recognisable as Amy’s bitchy boss, this writer spent the film thinking ‘she reminds me a lot of Tilda Swinton‘ only to see in the credits that it was actually her. American sport’s fans will enjoy basketball star Lebron James, who gets a fairly meaty part as Aaron’s friend, patient and shoulder to lean on, whilst playing himself (or a version of at least). The stand-out supporting star though goes to John Cena. WWE fans prepare yourself to see John Cena in a very different and much more revealing role.
Usually romantic comedies feature some of the unbelievably perfect people like Reese Witherspoon, Anne Hathaway, and James Marsden; it’s hard to take them seriously as down-on-their-luck-with-love characters. Trainwreck offers a welcome relief as Schumer and Hadar feel a lot more real. So much so that the story Aaron gives of his first kiss is actually the true story of Hadar’s first.
Whilst it may not win too many awards for originality, and the pace would work better were we to lose around twenty minutes, Trainwreck is still some of the most fun you’ll have this summer.
Trainwreck review Kat Hughes, August 2015.
Trainwreck opens across the UK from Friday 14th August.
