There’s a certain gender stereotype that tends to worm its way into some romantic comedies, wherein a straight-arrow career woman crosses paths with a lazy man-child in need of a swift twist of fate to get his life together. It’s a concept that is perhaps best exemplified by Judd Apatow’s 2007 comedy Knocked Up. However, with Trainwreck, Apatow and comedian Amy Schumer flip that premise on its head, and the results add up to Apatow’s best directorial effort since Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl shared the screen eight years ago.
Schumer plays a boozing, commitmet-phobic writer for a men’s magazine (conveniently named Amy) who finds herself breaking all her own relationship rules when she meets Aaron, a down-to-earth sports doctor (Bill Hader) who’s best buddies with Lebron James. The film’s script was written by Schumer, and its crass take on sexual politics shouldn’t surprise anyone familiar with her stand-up or her Comedy Central series Inside Amy Schumer.
The humor is consistently politically incorrect and, for some, may ring too true to life to generate laughter at times. However, the honesty with which Schumer tackles relationships from the female perspective is at once awkwardly hilarious and refreshing. After all, film after film has portrayed women as ready-made mates desperate to find a good man or too distracted by societal pressure to prove herself in the workplace to settle down. It’s a welcome change of pace to see a woman unencumbered by either, providing a more feminist portrait of the emotional cost (and potential payoff) of taking the dating world seriously.
Making her feature film debut here, Schumer brings her stand-up persona to life with aplomb and demonstrates some not-bad dramatic chops in the process. Trainwreck is plainly designed as a showcase for her talents and does an admirable job proving why she deserves to have a future on the big screen. Hader provides fine support as the “nice guy” who changes Amy’s life, though his comedic skills are more muted here than some may expect.
One of the most surprising components of Trainwreck is its outstanding supporting cast. Brie Larson particularly shines as Amy’s married sister, and her character serves as a sharp foil to Schumer’s, providing some of the best dramatic moments in the film. Moreover, the inimitable Tilda Swinton elevates every second she’s onscreen as Amy’s boss. Even James delivers a surprisingly fun supporting performance, despite his visible lack of acting experience.
Aside from the premise and ensemble cast, Trainwreck does fall prey to some of the common romantic comedy tropes, slipping into predictability a bit in the third act. In addition, Apatow’s latest isn’t immune from some of the shortcomings that typically befall his films. Some of the gags land with a resounding thud, and its 125-minute runtime could have easily been trimmed back a bit to tighten up these issues. Plus, what is ostensibly a comedy ends up bleeding into very real drama and sentiment now and again. It’s either something moviegoers will go with or reject, but those looking for an escapist laughfest without any tangible emotional resonance might prefer something like Ted 2.
Nevertheless, Trainwreck puts the spotlight on a growing comedic voice in Schumer. While her style may be off-putting to some and occasionally bordering on blatant shock value, it is certainly one worth exploring, and her partnership with Apatow here works well for both parties involved, as Trainwreck is anything but what its title implies.