Starring: Amy Schumer, Goldie Hawn, Ike Barinholtz, Chris Meloni, Wanda Sykes, Joan Cusack, Randall Park, Tom Bateman, Al Madrigal
Directed By: Jonathan Levine
Plot: After being dumped by her boyfriend and getting fired from her job, Emily (Schumer) convinces her mother (Hawn) to go on her non-refundable trip to South America that she was supposed to take with her boyfriend. After meeting a cute guy (Bateman), Emily gets her and her mother kidnapped. After they narrowly escape, the mother-daughter duo has to trek across South America to get to an American Embassy in order to be rescued. All this while their brother/son (Barinoltz) works feverishly to get them rescued from home.
What Works: While not the funniest film I’ve seen this year, it definitely had a lot of laughs in it. I thought most of those laughs came from supporting characters, with Ike Barinholtz and Chris Meloni being standouts. Joan Cusack and Wanda Sykes, also, very funny women. I actually thought Goldie Hawn was funnier than Amy Schumer, and also a much better actress. She’s just such a class act. So much experience. She gives a virtual masterclass on how to give a great comedic performance. We just do not get enough Goldie Hawn, and I hope she gets more film offers after this. If you’re looking for a good comedy, I think Snatched is a solid bet. I’m not sure you need to rush out and see this, but it’s definitely worth watching at some point. It was competently shot by Jonathan Levine, though this isn’t the kind of film you go to because of the direction. You go because of the writing and the jokes, and most of the jokes land.
What Doesn’t Work: I thought Amy Schumer was unrelatable and unlikeable, and this film revealed that she still has a lot of weakness as an actress. Trainwreck was her first big role in film, and it felt a lot like Amy Schumer, but this just feels exactly the same. It’s almost like a Trainwreck sequel because Schumer can only play herself. Here, that didn’t work for me. I couldn’t help but think that any other actress would have elevated this film. Sandra Bullock, Jennifer Lawrence, Anna Faris, literally anyone else. Also, I fucking hate movies that end with dance sequences. It’s becoming more and more of a trope in cinema, and I’m really not here for it. It’s lazy. Stop doing that.
Final Word: I prefer Trainwreck, though now that I know that Amy Schumer is incapable of dramatic range, I’m sure if I watched that again, I would scrutinize her performance a lot more. Hopefully she can take some lessons before doing her next film. But, I still say see this movie because Goldie Hawn is great, and she’s the co-lead, so you’re still getting most of what you paid for. I’m not sure if it’s the perfect Mother’s Day film because Schumer’s character is such a giant fuck up, but it’s not as crude as Trainwreck. If you were worried about that, it does have a few moments, but is still somewhat tame compared to Trainwreck.
Final Grade: B-