IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Tyler
When it was announced that Judd Aptow was making directing a starring role vehicle for upcoming comedian Amy Schumer I thought to myself, I don't have any idea who this person is but she will be everywhere in a years time. And just like Seth Rogan, this has comet pass, seemingly overnight they are now an omnipresent staple of the comedy community.
Schumer's first major film is a delightful and filthy romantic comedy. It's exactly what we've come to expect from the Aptow clan's adult oriented content. There's plenty of great laughs and surprising moments.
There's also the usual problems, with an over abundance of celebrity cameos and an inability to keep a very simple comedy running under 2 hours. Aptow has a real problem killing his darlings and once again here scenes are held a few beats too long and the general improvisatory nature sometimes rambles to no effect. Now comedy is subjective and I can force audiences where this might slay but especially towards the beginning of the film dragging scenes out before we get to any significant plot set up seems unwise. There was even a full scene or two that seemed entirely unnecessary and could have been excised with no loss of plot or any good jokes. Please learn to edit down your films.
I admire his loyalty to 35mm film and find it fascinating that he still shoots improvised material in the format when the digital alternative seems so much better suited for the acting style. It feels strange to say it as a film lover, but I've become accustomed to the digital look in cinemas now and watching this by comparison looks like a muddy mess of grain. These film have never been acknowledged for their visual prowess and there was nothing particularly wrong with the cinematography, it's just odd to note that now seeing film grain at the cinema is an anomaly rather than the norm.
While the storyline is pretty pedestrian in its adherence to the usual beats Schumer's comedic stylings add a welcome flavour to the proceedings and the film is a great announcement of a new female voice to add to the mix. I thought it was good fun but nothing special.
