Review: ‘Tammy’ is surprisingly funny
Marcus Goh is a former Singapore television scriptwriter. He's also a Transformers enthusiast and avid pop culture scholar. Tweets/Instagrams at @Optimarcus and writes at marcusgohmarcusgoh.com. The views expressed are his own.
Running time: 96 minutes (1.5 hours)
Secret ending? Yes, a blooper reel!
"Tammy" is a comedy about the eponymous Tammy who, after her life completely falls apart, sets off on a road trip with her grandmother. Hijinks ensure as they make the physical journey to the Niagara Falls, but also the metaphorical journey of self-discovery and friendship. It stars Melissa McCarthy (Tammy), Susan Sarandon (Pearl, Tammy's grandmother), Kathy Bates (Lenore), and Dan Ankroyd (Don, Tammy's father).
From all appearances, "Tammy" might look like a pretty run-of-the-mill road trip movie or even a bit of a chick flick, but it is surprisingly well put together. It doesn't offer any surprises, but rather, an enjoyable rendition of classic jokes and situations encountered in a road trip movie.
So what makes this worth watching?
Tammy is surprisingly endearing
Admit it, the protagonist doesn't look very likeable, especially not in the first half of the movie. But as the first scene establishes so well, Tammy's heart is in the right place, and you can't help but root for her to win. It's this sincere compassion which enables her to touch the other characters in the film, allowing them to look past her exaggeratedly unappealing exterior to see the gem within.
Interesting dynamics between Tammy and Pearl
Tammy and Pearl's relationship constantly evolves through the movie — the power balance shifts from person to person, background information is revealed that sheds light on their history together, and they develop a genuine parent-child bond. They're not constantly bickering, yet their interactions still manage to hold your attention.
Well-paced story
Events move along at a chipper pace, which is also aided by the length of the movie. This helps keep the plot fresh and interesting — you know they're going to get into trouble, but the movie doesn't belabour any point, and the purpose of every scene is clear. What results is a brisk story that strikes a good balance between information and humour.
Balanced humour
You expected many fat jokes, didn't you? Admit it. Yet that kind of slapstick humour is few and far between. The funnies come more from the situations our characters find themselves in and sight gags that don't pander to the lowest common denominator. The jokes won't leave you bellyaching, but it does leave an uplifting smile on your face.
As good as this movie was, there were still several areas where the movie could have been refined.
Ludicrous situations
I understand this is meant to be a comedy, and a road trip at that — but some of the ideas that the characters come up left me wondering where common sense went. And too many problems could have been easily solved with a simple phone call, something that almost all the characters forgot.
Tammy is whiny
She may be endearing — but towards the end, the grating sound of her complaints made her too indulgent in self-pity. The dismal state of her life was established in the first Act of the movie, and in the last Act it's the dismal state of her current predicament.
What could have turned out to be a stale copy of stereotypical jokes turned out to be an entertaining 90 minutes, which leaves you a feel good after taste. It is, after all, an uplifting story of how the worst day in a woman's life turned out to her best day ever.
Although "Tammy" itself doesn't surprise, what's surprising is how good this movie turned out.
Should you watch this at weekend movie ticket prices? If you like comedies.
Should you watch this at weekday movie ticket prices? Yes.
Tammy opens in cinemas 3 July, 2014 (Thursday).
