Movie Review: Trainwreck

Judd Apatow and Amy Schumer on paper seems like a match made in heaven. Apatow has produced some of the funniest films of the last 10 years, and Schumer is the creator of one of the most incisive TV shows on today. Their pairing pushes Apatow a little too hard on Schumer for Trainwreck, a relatively smart comedy that emphasizes the improv a little too hard for laughs. Although, more Lebron James and John Cena please.

After a childhood “pep talk” from her father Gordon (Colin Quinn), Amy (Schumer) decides to live her life jumping from man to man, committing to no one. Amy is content with her lifestyle, and her job at a sleaze magazine run by Dianna (Tilda Swinton). When Dianna assigns Amy to cover sports doctor Aaron (Bill Hader), Amy takes a shining to him, forcing her to possibly rethink her previous lifestyle and succumb to societal and personal pressure and seek a monogamous life with him.

Trainwreck is part of the continuing signs of Judd Apatow’s comedy era ending. A classic trademark of the man is longwinded improvisational takes where a bunch of actors just shoot the breeze in hopes of a stellar take. Here, that style severely inhibits Schumer’s witty script for a laugh. There is a funny scene where Lebron James and Bill Hader are joke playing basketball and talking about Amy, when we reach the point where the scene should end, Apatow adds another minute of joke-ish material that extends the scene but doesn’t escalate the joke. These directorial flourishes used to make Apatow’s films pop, but now they’ve become tired and inhibiting to the plot of the movie. Comedy groups have a shelf life, and it appears that Judd Apatow’s may be coming to and end. Don’t worry everyone, he’ll still produce some great stuff.

What makes Trainwreck different from Apatow’s other efforts are that he did not write this one. Amy Schumer, the star, also wrote this incisive comedy. Trainwreck’s story is a very modern love story, extremely relevant to the youth of today. I know personally I have similar fears about the institution of marriage and long term commitments, as do some of my friends. Schumer smartly makes the villain not Aaron, but societal pressure to conform. Her story insights do not translate as well to the jokes, which tend to rely on awkward sexual situations, which is like shooting fish in a barrel. Schumer is a much more adept comedian than that, and I hope her next writing foray puts more thought into the comedy part of a romantic comedy.

Schumer works great in sketch comedy, but here, she proves she can carry a feature film. She can do it all: funny, angry, and most importantly for her, sad (she has a great moment at a funeral). At her side is Bill Hader, taken the Rogenesque leap to leading man. Hader has been flexing his acting chops the last few years, and everything he learned comes together here; he kind of acts as Apatow glue. Brie Larson and Mike Birbiglia give good supporting performances as Schumer’s sister and brother-in-law; the Larson-Schumer dynamic is as good a sister relationship I have seen on film. The big winners here are the supporting players, which is where Apatow usually shines. Colin Quinn is as good as he will ever be as Schumer’s dad; we will probably never see as good of an acting job out of him as in this film. Tilda Swinton bronzed herself up hilariously to play Schumer’s magazine editor; it’s nice to see her play someone funny. Vanessa Bayer and Ezra Miller are funny as Schumer’s co-workers. But the surprises of the century are two athletes. John Cena gets many of the big laughs as Schumer’s hunky ex. His version of dirty talk kills, and he even gets laughs while also being serious, not an easy feat to pull off. And then there’s Lebron James, who has a Hollywood career waiting for him when he retires from basketball. James has almost uncanny comic timing; he can deliver a punch line, or make the audience double over from a look. The dude is a showman, and now the world knows.

Trainwreck shows the give and take of old and new. Even though Apatow’s star is falling, he uses his clout to showcase new important voices like Amy Schumer, who will use this film to launch herself to Apatow’s apex hopefully. Plus, we have the sequel to Trainwreck ready to be made: the movie shot entirely from Lebron’s point of view, especially with his running commentary on Downton Abbey.