Movie Review: Tammy (2014)
Written by Anthony Sargon
This has been a rather solid summer for R-rated comedies. Both Neighbors and 22 Jump Street have managed to find success with critics and audiences alike, and I personally quite enjoyed A Million Ways to Die in the West, even though it technically flopped. Well, it looks like audiences are being treated to yet another major R-rated comedy; Melissa McCarthy’s Tammy. Unfortunately, it’s a mediocre, self-indulgent, and unfunny affair.
The premise is simple enough; when Tammy (Melissa McCarthy) simultaneously loses her husband and her job, she decides to bail on her hometown. Being broke and car-less, Tammy is forced to drag along her foul-mouthed, alcoholic grandmother (Susan Sarandon) if she’s to go anywhere. As soon as the two ladies hit the road, shenanigans ensue.
My main problem with Tammy is that it feels like an extended Saturday Night Live sketch. The character just isn’t all that funny or original, and I don’t understand what the hell Melissa McCarthy sees in her. McCarthy also produced and co-wrote the film, so she certainly has an affinity towards the character, but I just don’t see it. She’s just a dumb, childish, overweight lady who keeps making dumb decisions. I guess that’s funny, right? Wrong.
The casting is also incredibly distracting. Did anyone really expect audiences to believe that Allison Janney is old enough to be Tammy’s mom, or that Susan freakin’ Sarandon is old enough to be her grandmother? It just looks wrong, and Sarandon’s terrible wig and make-up certainly do nothing to help sell the illusion. The performances are also mediocre, with the one standout being Kathy Bates in a brief role. Whenever the movie tries to be deep or transcendent, it feels forced. I get what director Ben Falcone was going for with the road trip format and having Tammy re-connect with a semi-estranged loved one, but it doesn’t deliver.
The Verdict:
While Tammy isn’t an entirely hopeless comedy, it simply doesn’t do enough to stand out of a vastly superior crop of summer comedies. Ultimately, it’s a big waste of talent, and an even bigger waste of time.
Numerical Score: 4/10
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