I’ve never been the biggest fan of Amy Schumer, but what I’ve always appreciated about her humor is how it directly challenges gender roles. The best example is her Comedy Central show, Inside Amy Schumer, which consistently satirizes, subverts and, occasionally, outright shames society’s ridiculous expectations of women. She typically never toes the line, which is why Trainwreck disappoints by being utterly conventional.
Trainwreck is about Schumer, who, from childhood, had been taught by her father (Colin Quinn) that monogamy isn’t realistic and has taken that lesson to heart. She goes through life partying hard and pole-vaulting away from commitment until she’s assigned an article on a successful sports doctor named Aaron Conners (Bill Hader). They begin dating and Amy soon realizes that this relationship could upend her entire life philosophy.
If you’ve ever seen a romantic comedy, then you already know how this movie will play out. I could handle the predictability if Trainwreck worked simply as a romantic comedy, but it doesn’t. Schumer and Hader are incredible talents but neither of their roles plays to their strengths as performers, and both come off seeming restrained by the material. Their romance is largely unconvincing due to a lack of chemistry and poor writing. Aaron is constantly talking down to Amy, which creates an uncomfortable imbalance in their relationship that makes them difficult to root for.
The film’s director, Judd Apatow, made his name with movies like The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up but has struggled to match those movies ever since. That struggle continues with Trainwreck, which is just not very funny. Every joke is extended for maximum laughs but the jokes are so drawn out that they cease to be humorous.
It’s ironic that the funniest performances in the movie are from non-comedians. LeBron James, John Cena and a practically unrecognizable Tilda Swinton all give sincere and hilarious performances that rise above the mediocre material.
Trainwreck isn’t terrible but it is bland. And with a cast and crew capable of so much more, that’s a much harsher verdict.
