It’s not that long ago that 80’s popstar Boy George seemed to have lost the plot with his career and had turned to eating ballooned to such gargantuan proportions that Boy Bloater seemed a more appropriate moniker. In an attempt to conceal his ever multiplying chins he applied his mastery of make up to painting black his neck and throat right up to his jaw line to give the impression that he was as svelte as he was in his heyday. Thankfully he realised that a sensible diet was far better and today he’s a shadow of his former self. We Only mention this as the mirth mountain Melissa McCarthy has attempted a similar trick in her new film ‘The Boss’ having not to use acres of make-up she has decided instead to wear polar neck tops worn so high that its around her ears. Unfortunately every outfit she wars throughout the film is like this and audiences may find themselves transfixed by her designers attempt to cover up what presumably are quivering jowls that need to be kept in check – although possibly it might be that old excuse of, Hey! This is what my character would wear! Frankly she looks like the younger, fatter sister of Coronation Street’s Rita.
McCarthy plays America’s 47th richest business woman who runs get rich stadium stuffed seminars that look like a rally to delusional get rich quick devotees. But it’s former lover, now samurai obsessed business rival, Renault(Peter Dinklage)who brings about her downfall when he bubbles her up for insider dealing landing her a jail sentence. With all her assets improbably lost (in the real world no matter what the rich do they never seem to be destitute) and with nothing to her name she dumps herself on her former PA’s doorstep, a single mother endearingly played by Kristen Bell, and her teenage daughter. Determined to regain her fortune she commanders the daughters girl guide group and forms own, Darleens Darlings group, she hijacks bell’s brownie recipe to relaunch a business at Bell’s expense. Being a US comedies this also has the unnecessary ‘message’ so you know that McCarthy will see the error of her ways but not before a whole load of comic capers.
McCarthy has had quite some success with ‘The Heat’ & ‘Spy’ playing that foul mouthed slobbish type whilst adhering to the Dawn French business model that, ‘Fat is Funny’ but for some she is something of a marmite comedian – you either love her or loathe her and ‘The Boss’ is unlikely to convert many in the latter camp. Amy Schumer’s comedy ‘Trainwreck’ had some brilliantly crafted jokes and one liners whereas here the jokes are usually potty mouthed abuse spouted by the lead character with some remarkably smutty lines including one which uses the C-word being spelt out which presumably prevented it from getting a more restrictive certificate . The script was co-written by McCarthy and Ben Falcone (aka Mr Melissa McCarthy) along with first time feature film writer Steve Mallory. There are few decent jokes that don’t rely on McCarthy’s outspoken foul mouthed persona for laughs and the film finds itself funnier than it actually is a fact further underlined by a credits gag reel that only the cast appear to have found funny. Audiences may find the same.
Here’s the trailer (definitely not SFW):
