Stars:Melissa McCarthy, Susan Sarandon, Kathy Bates
Writers:Melissa McCarthy, Ben Falcone
Director:Ben Falcone
Tammy is a sassy dimwitted foul mouthed woman from a small town who in the span of one day loses her job, wrecks her car and finds out her marriage is over. Left with no money and no options she sets off on a road trip with her alcoholic grandmother Pearl (Susan Sarandon) hitting the open road while Pearl hits the bottle. Together the duo kick it at a lakeside resort for some fun, go out for food and drinks, get arrested, rob a topper jacks fast food restaurant and go to a lesbian fourth of july party. This rag tag duo also finds time to learn not just about each other but also themselves.
McCarthy is about as close to a female Chris Farley as one could ever expect. She is light on her feet for such a big gal, She can do the physical comedy while making the rough around the exterior facade fade away into someone you might care about, all traits she showed in Bridesmaid. If only more time had been taken with pen to paper, written by McCarthy and her husband Ben Falcone (who also makes his directorial debut.) This is random road trip movie that starts with Tammy trying to give CPR to a deer before it decides to tackle such light hearted fare as infidelity and alcoholism. For every scene you go oh she is one funny confident if not completely naive gal, there is a scene of just sadness and pathos where she plays up the stupidity that is disengaging.
There are moments of humor and moments of heart but neither is utilized to useful effect. Starting off with an off the wall deer accident and a witty back and forth between Tammy and her Topper Jacks Manager played by Ben Falcone, the tone is set early to be a bit offbeat yet aside from a moment or two it never maintains momentum. Sarandon as the alcoholic slut grandma is interesting for a few minutes but rather than these two ladies going full Thelma and Louise and doing something daring they end up at a lesbian barbecue digging deep into their personal demons. Clearly Tammy has learned from her past she now wears makeup. It’s a visual cue to all those who lack any form of an attention span. Messy hair reminiscent of a ran over birds nest that’s bad Tammy, straight hair? She must have changed. Looks like Someone invested in a flat iron, that can only mean that clearly she has learned from her mistakes.
Funny can make up for a bad dialogue, a horrible plot or thin characters(there is no pun there), too bad I would have rather watched Tammy work at fast food restaurant and bicker back and forth with customers while insulting her boss than this rambling road trip. This is 5 minutes of funny stashed in a greasy 90 minute Topper Jacks Bag.
Grade-68
