Reese Witherspoon is short! Sofia Vergara’s accent is hilarious!
This movie is dumb!
Bookshelf Q. Battler here with a review of a movie so goofy that even the pimply faced teenaged usher asked “Really?” when he ripped the ticket I bought for it.
SPOILERS (if such a concept is possible for a movie like this) AHEAD.
“This is the performance of a lifetime!”
And thus, with a quip said without a straight face during the ending credits blooper reel, Witherspoon totally negates any ability for this reviewer to bust on the film.
This is a throwaway movie, one designed to make you chuckle, something you can check out when you’re bored but not feeling up to the emotional rigamarole of a heavy drama. I know it, you know it and even the lead actress knows it: don’t take this flick too seriously.
It’s a mild comedy – not so lame that you won’t laugh yet not so raunchy that Grandma can’t enjoy it. In fact, Aunt Gertie opined that it was a hoot and a half.
(I only brought her because she paid for the popcorn. My blog stats took a major hit while she was watching this damn thing.)
The setup? Vergara is the wife of a drug cartel informant who’s agreed to testify against his boss. Witherspoon, a police officer who’s been riding the pine in the evidence lock-up ever since an unfortunate mistake on the job tarnished her reputation, is selected to accompany a U.S. Marshall in transporting the couple to Dallas.
Shots are fired, foul play ensues, and the film turns into a mad cap buddy comedy/road trip romp as it’s up to Witherspoon to get Vergara to safety.
It’s a downgrade for Witherspoon, who we’ve grown accustomed to seeing in acclaimed dramas like the Johnny Cash biopic Walk The Line or the more recent Cheryl Strayed inspired film Wild.
Arguably, it’s an upgrade for Vergara, as this marks her first top billing in a major feature film. And while this is a movie I’m not going to rush to watch again anytime soon, there were a few moments where Vergara shines, thus making it known to Hollywood that she has more to offer the world than a pair of miraculous bosoms and a funny accent.
Speaking of Vergara’s signature accent, the film even busts on that in an ironic manner. Witherspoon uses a heavy Southern accent and at times both characters claim to not be able to understand each other.
I saw this movie so you won’t have to, 3.5 readers. No thanks necessary.
STATUS: Not the worst movie I’ve ever seen, but I wouldn’t advise anyone to rush out to the theater to take it in either. Might be worth a rental. Might even be the movie that allows Vergara to branch out and take on heavier roles. Alas, doesn’t earn a coveted spot on the magic shelf.
Bookshelf Battle 