Movie Breakdown: Life Of The Party

Pre-Screening Stance:

Even though May is a prime month for new releases, Life Of The Party sure does feel conveniently dumped into an undesirable space, which is the tiny window between Avengers: Infinity War, Deadpool 2 and Solo: A Star Wars Story.  Can’t say I’m expecting much.

Post-Screening Ramble:

Life Of The Party isn’t a great movie.  I imagine this isn’t a surprise to you since the film is directed by Ben Falcone, the man responsible for drivel like Tammy and The Boss, and fronted by his wife, Melissa McCarthy, who is likeable but not exactly a queen of quality comedies (see Tammy and The Boss).  You know what though?  I still kind of liked it.  McCarthy’s motherly mother of a character, Deanna, is so damn endearing that once things got moving, I quickly found myself rooting for her to overcome her surprise divorce and to finally finish college.  It was weird to pull for such a silly character in such a dumb movie, but McCarthy comes off as very genuine as the super sweet Deanna – I wanted her to win at life!  I also wanted the plot to make sense, but it doesn’t.  Why is Deanna staying in a dorm?  No idea.  Why is Deanna, who is as outgoing as can be, afraid to give a verbal presentation in a class she’s doing very well in?  I don’t know.  Why are there two girls who specifically hate Deanna?  Good question!  Again, Life of The Party isn’t a great movie.  It doesn’t make a lot of sense and it’s only occasionally funny, but it’s got a weird amount of heart.  I can at least commend it for that.

Unless you’re just really in the hunt for a comedy, I’d wait to watch this one from the comfort of your couch.

One Last Thought:

Someone obviously told Maya Rudolph that she could do whatever she wanted with her character if she signed on for this film, and that was a very good move.  She kills it in her limited amount of screen time.