Review: ‘Trainwreck’ stays on the tracks with Schumer’s bawdy humor

Posted on July 24, 2015

By MARK VIOLA

Comedian Amy Schumer is now taking on Hollywood in the comedy “Trainwreck,” written by her and directed by her friend Judd Apatow (“Knocked-Up,” “This Is 40”). Starring Schumer and Bill Hader (“Saturday Night Live”), the sometimes poignant, often-times funny romance provides plenty of laughs and just enough heart to keep audiences engaged for two full hours.

The story follows Amy (Schumer), a reporter living in New York who seems to live solely on booze and sex. A serial monogamist, Amy believes in one-night stands and only one-night stands, not counting her pseudo-boyfriend Steven (wrestler John Cena). Her only friends seem to be her co-worker Nikki (Vanessa Bayer, “Saturday Night Live”) and her sister Kim (Brie Larson, “The Gambler”), who is her exact opposite, happily married with a baby on the way.

When Amy’s boss Dianna (a nearly unrecognizable Tilda Swinton, “Snowpiercer”) assigns her a story to interview a renowned sports surgeon, Aaron (Bill Hader, “Saturday Night Live”), she finds herself falling for him after, of course, an obligatory one-night stand. But is Amy ready for a committed relationship? And is Aaron ready for the insanity that is Amy?

Upon watching the two meet, I would say the answer to both questions is a resounding no. And aside from making us laugh, it is the film’s biggest job to make us change our minds, because if we can’t eventually buy into the romance, the comedy is just a series of laughs going nowhere.

And does the film accomplish its mission? I’d say it mostly does, but it could have done a better job, and this is ultimately the film’s biggest problem.

“Trainwreck” is a very funny movie with a lot of funny characters, and while it is not a perfect film and doesn’t succeed at everything it attempts to do, it is a comedy worth watching if you like your humor R-rated and edgy.

The film is rated R for strong sexual content, nudity, language and some drug use.

(This is a shortened version of the full review available in our printed or e-edition papers.)

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