REVIEW: You Again

Well you know what they say about Kristen Bell, she's a Marshmallow.

So here's the thing. I think You again and Skyline are about as bad as each other. They're both potentially semi-interesting conceptual takes on worn material, that get so much about the execution wrong one can't really talk about anything else. And yet amidst their undeniable shitness is an earnestness which is kind of endearing. I believe that the people behind these movies tried to make a movie that they'd enjoy, and legitimately thought were good. They are shit because of inadequacy and incompetence and not because of apathy and cynicism, and believe it or not that makes me happy. I'm fine with bad films like this, because I believe in some capacity, they have love behind them.

But boy is You Again shit, a veritable feast of accidental awkwardness, flat punchlines, cheap gags and hit and miss stunt casting. It continues Kristen Bell's quest to take the horde of good will she earned for Veronica Mars, and piece by piece woodchipper the shit out of it in front of our horrified faces. I don't think I can quite ever bring myself to entirely dislike her, but this is a terrible performance complete with mugging, always trying way too hard and just general unfunniness. But whatever. Jamie Lee Curtis seems to play the same role in everything these days, perfect middle class mum with a hidden wild side, and that doesn't change here. As always she's alternates between grating and funny. I think Sigourney Weaver fares the best out of everyone, well except Kyle Bornheimer, most known for being the yuppie douche with the bluetooth in Breaking Bad, who's car Walt blows up in a way that was badass. His character is super broad but at least a little bit funny, even if his entire existence is one cheap, mean joke.

No, You Again is a bad movie, through and through, but if you grade on intention, then there are some things to at least say thanks for trying. I like that Bell's characters main arc didn't involve a man, and revolved rather around her old high school bully, and that in a romantic comedy the lead character wasn't involved in some weak romantic triangle. In the same breath, I liked how little the men in this movie mattered, for good or bad, they all just felt like necessary evils. Which is kind of awesome in a progressive way, not a creative one. I liked that it seemed to have a soul, and not a concoction of some hellish boardroom, so it was more like watching an unfunny comedian tell jokes then the president of GBD. Ltd tell jokes. But again these are all conceptual things, and the execution is so often horrible its hard to hold on to these little nuggets of good will, and suffice to say it still sucks.

Rating: 4/10