Silly in the extreme, Amy Schumer fans will, no doubt, continue to rejoice in her irreverent humour in Snatched. Schumer’s high water mark was unquestionably Trainwreck. I am now genuinely fearful that from hereon in all we will see her in is second-rate material that attempts to cash in on that movie’s announcement to the world that Schumer had arrived.
I sincerely hope I am wrong because she does have a fine sense of timing and knows how to put the wind up supposedly sacred cows. Political incorrectness is her middle name.
In Snatched she plays Emily Middleton, an impetuous dreamer who has thus far made nothing of her life. She is dumped by her newly successful boyfriend on the eve of taking an exotic South American trip with him. Having bought two non-refundable tickets, she can’t find anyone who is willing to go with her, until Middleton’s fear phobic mother Linda (Goldie Hawn) most reluctantly fills the void.
Since her husband left her, Linda has led a quiet, ultra conservative suburban life, although she did walk on the wild side in her younger days. Mind you now she and her daughter appear polar opposites. All that is set to change though when Emily puts her trust in a handsome Romeo by the name of James (Tom Bateman) she meets at a hotel bar. After one date, James offers to take Emily and her mother to explore the sights and sounds the following morning, but that road trip is quickly derailed.
Many of the sight gags in Snatched are reminiscent of a bygone era, but Schumer’s potty mouth gives the movie currency. Remember, this is a time in which women taking a dump in public (Bridesmaids) and men behaving badly (The Hangover) set the standard.
The Snatched plot is wafer thin and if not for the two leads it would undoubtedly have been a straight-to-video release. I suppose there is only so much you can make of two women kidnapped over and over, being pursued by bumbling assailants … and that there is the essence of the movie’s failure to ignite, let alone delight.
The one character I did enjoy was the officious State Department official that takes Emily Middleton’s call for help and turns it on its head. He is played by Bashir Salahuddin (Late Night with Jimmy Fallon). The same can’t be said for Emily’s agoraphobic brother Jeffrey (Ike Barinholtz). Goldie Hawn returns to the silver screen after a 14-year hiatus but is hardly stretched.
Now you know what you are in for – pure popcorn fare. Written by Katie Dippold (The Heat), Snatched is directed by Jonathan Levine (Warm Bodies) and scores a 5 out of 10.
Director: Jonathan Levine
Cast: Amy Schumer, Joan Cusack, Goldie Hawn
Release Date: 11 May 2017
Rating: MA 15+
Alex First
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David Edwards is the editor of The Blurb and a contributor on film and television
