The summer movie season is upon us.
As the days grow longer, the heat ramps up, and the bugs come out, we can count on the latest comedy movie release from Melissa McCarthy. It's like clockwork.
She is this generation’s Adam Sandler.
Like Mr. Sandler in his prime, McCarthy generally finds herself in likable stories — some better than others — that allow her to show her comedic range.
This summer finds McCarthy starring in “Life of the Party.”
The movie itself is basically a fusion of movies like “Back to School,” “The House Bunny,” and “Old School.”
McCarthy plays Deanna, a housewife whose husband Dan (Matt Walsh) announces he wants a divorce moments after they drop off their daughter Maddie (Molly Gordon) for her senior year at the fictional Decatur University.
The overly sincere Deanna — who has a fashion sense that falls somewhere between an elderly grandmother and trailer park chic — decides to return to school to finish her degree in archaeology, much to the chagrin of Maddie.
What follows is a movie illustrating the “trials and tribulations” of Deanna as she tries to fit in at Decatur University.
If you’ve seen movies like this before, you pretty much know where the story is headed.
Deanna is accepted by Maddie’s sorority sisters, excels in her classes (well, we only see her taking one class), and even attracts a young male suitor named Jack (Luke Benward).
While she might have her detractors at school, she becomes a popular figure on campus.
The movie was directed by McCarthy’s husband Ben Falcone. The two of them wrote the movie together.
"Life of the Party" was fun and had a light tone. There were some laugh-out-loud moments. There were also some jokes that fell flat and stretched on way too long.
Unfortunately, comedies these days aren't what they used to be. Having grown up in the 1980s, I had the good fortune to see some terrific comedies at the multiplex. Today's comedic offerings tend to land in the form of animated family comedies or uncomfortably raunchy adult comedies. It is a shame, really.
In my mind, comedies are hard to do, but when they are done right, you know it (as was the case with the terrific “Game Night” that came out earlier this year — read my review).
While “Life of the Party” doesn’t achieve greatness in the comedic realm, McCarthy’s likable demeanor keeps the narrative moving along.
If you’re looking for something fun — that won’t tax your brain — give “Life of the Party” a try.
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