MP2: Life of the Party

 

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!

 

I saw Life of the Party last weekend with a friend, predisposed to enjoy it because (1) I love Melissa McCarthy, and (2) I was in the mood for a fun movie. I may have mentioned that I generally want movies to be entertaining, not history lessons or preachy screeds. But…

While LOTP had some funny moments, I have to give it a meh overall. It’s just too stupid and at times downright cringey. I get that MM as Deanna overplays the helicopter mom part, so into her mommishness she becomes the most unsexy wife on the planet, with her frumpy sweatshirts and Hallmark card cheerfulness, which is somehow the biggest turn-on to a certain frat dude because tastes vary, and we can go with that (gah). No, we can. We’ll go with that! But I just can’t deal with the fact that her daughter appears fine with this cougarish relationship, and her daughter’s sorority friends are chill with it as well.

Next, the divorce. I don’t care what state this “Decatur” is supposed to be in ~ Georgia, Illinois, Indiana (seems Midwestern)? I actually just googled “decatur wildcats” to make sure it isn’t a real thing. But no way does some jerkface divorce his wife after 20+ years and arbitrarily decide she gets no money when he’s been supporting her all along. I don’t care if the house is in his name. She gets alimony. I understand that the plot needs Deanna to suddenly go broke so her college friends can hold a fundraiser and have the Shakira moment yada, but it’s all wrong. Sorry.

Deanna’s “vampire” roommate is a ridic throwaway character, only there to set up the ending, but they could have made her an actual funny character. Why not? Lazy writing. Some of the other sorority girls, same deal. They are almost funny, but not quite.

Then jerkface and the real estate blonde. Totally unbelievable that they’re a couple. She’s this glam beyotch and he’s so yuck. I guess he has money, but still. And Deanna/jerkface’s daughter, who is so loving and perfect, somehow doesn’t notice all the nasty captions on the photos at the wedding? She’s fine with them totally trashing her mom ~ and not only that but frat dude (beyotch’s son, conveniently), who is in lurve with Deanna, is fine with it also. Eh wot?

Deanna vandalizing the wedding reception of jerkface and beyotch gives me the cringies. Not funny. Cakes are sacred! Why would you hurt an innocent cake? Major cringies also from Deanna’s friend Christine who keeps dragging her (own) husband off to have sex everywhere, bleh. I really would like to know what happens at these writers meetings.

“Hey, let’s give the main character a friend, kay?”

“Great idea. We should make her a super-horny friend.”

“Yeah! Horny! How about a married woman who is always horny?”

“For other women’s husbands?”

“No, like, for her OWN husband!”

“Whoa, that’s wild! Let’s do it. People will LOVE IT!”

Love love love. So funny. Especially after the 17th time.

Didn’t hate LOTP, the 80s party was fun, and there were a few laughs, but it certainly fell short of expectations. Onward to the big pile of movies coming out on June 8th! Yahoo!