Trainwreck (2015)
Certified: 15
Duration: 124 minutes
Directed by: Judd Apatow
Starring: Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Brie Larson, Tilda Swinton, Colin Quinn, John Cena, Mike Birbiglia, Jon Glaser, Vanessa Bayer, Ezra Miller
KRS Releasing Ltd
Amy (Amy Schumer) is a very strong magazine writer under the regime of the hard Dianna (Tilda Swinton).
Over the years she learned from her not-so-trustworthy dad, Gordon (Colin Quinn), that it is impossible to be faithful. As a result, all her relationships so far have been one-night stands, commitment-free short relationships and alcohol-influenced affairs.
Currently she is dating Steven (John Cena), who is fixated on his appearance and on staying super fit. But she is not very faithful as she knows that their relationship is just a phase.
One day she gets to inteview Dr Aaron Conner (Bill Hader), who is a surgeon that has worked on the likes of tennis star Roger Federer and saved tons of careers. She finds herself falling in love with him and Aaron reciprocates the feeling. This worries his friend and NBA star Le Bron James (himself).
On another front, Amy has issues with Kim (Brie Larson), her younger sister who is married to Tom (Mike Birbiglia), a very prim and proper guy, who has a son Allister (Evan Brinkman) from a previous marriage. Amy believes that Kim made a mistake marrying the boring Tom, and is not happy that her younger sister is ignoring her father’s advice.
The relationship at the core of the movie generates the right sparks
All this is just a cover-up as Amy starts to suffer a multitude of insecurities as she slowly starts to take steps to form a real and meaningful relationship.
Judd Apatow has been termed the modern master at delivering movies aimed at over-aged boys like The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), Knocked Up (2006) and This is 40 (2012), apart from writing or producing such movies as Superbad (2007) and Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2007), among others.
With Trainwreck he shows two sides of the coin in his style of film-making: he still delivers his typical raucous laughs and naughtiness, with the only difference being that the protagonist here is a woman, and yetalso delivers a well-timed and sensitive romantic comedy.
Schumer delivers a winning performance, one that is both funny and emotional, one that has spark and who shows she is a comedian with brains. Her first lead in a movie will leave quite an imprint.
She certainly seems at home in a script and setting that is usually more male-oriented: the commitment-phobic protagonist who gets caught in a valid emotional relationship.
The result is an entertaining comedy that touches on points that the female-oriented romantic comedy genre usually avoids: a raunchy approach with emotional rapports and connections that are very valid.
One feels that whether Schumer is dealing with her father (an excellent Colin Quinn) or with her sister (a delightful Brie Larson) or when sharing screen time with the really hilarious Cena, there is something real going on despite the limitations laid down by the genre.
The relationship between Schumer and Hader that is at the core of the movie generates the right sparks, imagination and enthusiasm.
The film also benefits from an excellent Swinton, who is hilarious as the boss, while James who here plays himself adds more authenticity to the Trainwreck, distancing it further from its name.