BARB AND STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR

Genre: Comedy

Rating: PG-13

Running Time: 107 mins.

Where Can You See It?: Premium Video On Demand (PVOD)

Premise: Two Midwestern women (Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo) leave behind work and “Talking Club” to vacation at Vista Del Mar where they stumble upon a villain’s dastardly plot, find love with the same man (Jamie Dornan), and other adventures.

Behind-the-Scenes: Mumolo and Wiig co-wrote Bridesmaids together and it took them nearly a decade to re-team on a screenplay. The wait was worth it. Adam McKay and Will Ferrell are credited producers.

The Good: Absurdly, unbelievably funny. This comedy subverts expectations right from the start, veering off into Austin Powers territory when the trailers and promotional materials suggested nothing of the sort. It only gets crazier from there. Rather than adhere to normal studio conventions, Mumolo and Wiig take an “anything goes” approach to the material – seemingly throwing in every funny idea they had. That means we get out-of-left-field musical sequences, talking animals, visual puns, and more. If you’re a fan of comedy, Barb and Star is a host of riches. Wiig and Mumolo are both hilarious, inhabiting these ladies so fully they could improvise in character at the drop of a hat. I’m not a 50 Shades fan and never understood the appeal of Jamie Dornan, but now I do. He throws himself into every scene and earns some of the movie’s biggest laughs.

The Bad: Comedy is pretty subjective – you’re either on this film’s wavelength or you’re not. I just wish we had the opportunity to buy it for $20 instead of just renting it, as I’m going to want to rewatch this one soon and often.

Should You See It?: Yes! This is the funniest movie I’ve seen since 2016’s Popstar, and the kind of comedy we only get once or twice a decade. It will be discovered and appreciated for years to come. An instant cult classic.

Star Rating: ***** out of 5 stars

Better Than: Bridesmaids

Worse Than: Anchorman

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