Movie Review - Snatched

Snatched ** (out of 5) ( R) Even in a wacky adventure burdened by a so-so-script (Katie Dippold, who penned the recent distaff Ghostbusters) and a tired premise, one must admire Amy Schumer’s willingness to put her worst foot forward for the sake of the Comedy Gods. Even moreso than in Trainwreck, she plays an unlikeable, unsympathetic character with well-deserved relationship woes. She reluctantly schleps her neurotic mom (Goldie Hawn, looking more naturally attractive than she had for years of OD’ing on botox and other forms of facial tuckpointing) on a trip to Ecuador. Things start well, but they’re soon suckered into an ill-conceived kidnaping that leaves them trudging blindly through Columbian jungles, with madcap antics aplenty. Or so they promise in the promos.

All the unlikely sort of zaniness that such films thrive on occur rather predictably. Hope and Crosby did this shtick generations ago in their Road films, though without the latitude of today’s R-rated fare. Same for Lucy Ricardo and Ethel Mertz. Apart from a handful of big laugh moments - some of which come from Wanda Sykes and Joan Cusack - the rest is less amusing or emotionally satisfying (mother-daughter conflicts wax and wane, as custom demands)... or fresh in any sense.

Schumer came up with much better material when she started in standup, extended via her stellar sketch series on Comedy Central. Perhaps those writers should carry the ball on whatever her next film may be. Probably wiser to dance with the ones what brought you there. (5/12/17)