Lifelong friends Barb and Star embark on the adventure of a lifetime when they decide to leave their small Midwestern town for the first time – ever.
Commentary Review: The new comedy from the Bridesmaids duo of Kristen Wigg and Annie Mumolo is not quite what you would expect. I mean, it is. But it is more and different. If comedy had an explosive color it would be this film. It is vibrant. And at times ridiculous. Most times ridiculous. Think sketch comedy with random musical moments. Bottom line, it is the funny we need this Valentine’s weekend.
Barb and Star are joined at the hip, and seem to share one brain. They are middle-aged women from a midwestern town who decide to finally live a little, and head to Vista Del Mar for a vacation getaway. They get tangled up in more than they bargained for. Only their deep friendship and the stupidly of all those around them will help these two ladies survive.
Barb and Star remind me of Wigg’s days on SNL. I can picture them popping up every few week’s to talk about the most random of topics. Here we get 90-plus minutes of their culotte wearing brand of humor. The story is outrageous and makes Austin Powers feel like the next James Bond film. But it is exactly what you want. Where as Bridesmaids was hilarious in a more conceivable context, this doesn’t have an ounce of believability. And that is just fine.
Even the film itself has an attitude of take it or leave it. The obvious green screen moments sort of give a colorful middle finger to conventional movie making. But as a complete project it works. There are several surprises in here that make you wonder at what point they just gave up and said, “hey, how about we do this?”.
Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is rated PG-13 for crude sexual content, drug use and some strong language. It pushes the envelope at times but the content is so sophomoric that to give it an R rating would seem mean. Certainly a comedy for an adults – with immature sense of humors – due to some of the conversations. I am not sure what grade to give this film. Sort of like when a 4th grader draws a very inappropriate picture on their homework. Do you fault them for what they did or praise them for that fact they drew it really well? I don’t know. I just know I am a fan of Wigg and this sort of humor is good for all of us from time to time. Especially in a world that is so dang serious and heavy right now.
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