TRAINWRECK

Starring: Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Lebron James
Directed By: Judd Apatow
Rotten Tomatoes score: 98%

     New romantic comedy movie. Judd Apetow directs. Amy Schumer stars. And Lebron James is an actor? Yes, that is correct. Lebron James is an actor, and he's actually pretty good at it. More on the greatness of King James later. Trainwreck is a really solid movie that has around 8 laugh out loud moments, which is a high number. Judd Apatow delivers another classic comedy, and probably his best one since 40 Year Old Virgin. He is arguably the best comedy director in the game right now as he has directed or produced recent hits such as "40 Year Old Virgin" "Knocked Up" "Superbad" "This Is 40" "Funny People" "Stepbrothers" "Pineapple Express" and now "Trainwreck". Amy Schumer is on a hot streak as well, having her own tv show on Comedy Central, sold out stand up comedy shows across the country, and writing and starring in her first movie. Trainwreck brought these two comedic minds together to produce the must see comedy event of the summer.
     Schumer plays Amy Townsend, a crazy party girl who is a writer for a trashy magazine called S'nuff. She is sent on a writing assignment to do a story on Dr. Aaron Connors (Bill Hader), a sports doctor, who is also a really good friend of Lebron James. The movie succeeds in providing a refreshing twist to the conventional rom-com formula with Amy Schumer playing the unapologetic, uncommitted, drinking, cursing, and over-sharing lead role, traditionally played by guys. Trainwreck lets modern society realize that there are girls out there who like to party, be loud, and be single without caring. Bill Hader plays more of the serious role, and is the perfect yin to Amy Schumer's yang. NBA superstar Lebron James adds another dimension of comedic relief in a role that sees him playing a penny-pinching version of himself even though he is a multi-millionaire. His acting skills are impressive, as evident through his great comedic timing. He has great timing, which makes his acting feel natural and not forced.
     Trainwreck has all the ingredients needed to make a great romantic comedy. The energy, tone, and characters provided good laughs for the first half of the film. It's a fun, but mature comedy. However, the second half, particularly the third act needed more laughs and a better climax. The movie added some heart to its comedy in the second half, but it finishes about 20 minutes too long, and stayed too conservative and cliche with its ending. I wanted this movie to finish strong, tie it all together, and be different because it started with such qualities. Beyond these pitfalls, I really enjoyed Trainwreck, and all its uniqueness. Its edgy. It's character driven, and pushes the boundaries of modern romantic comedies. Overall I give this movie an 8.5 out of 10. It has Judd Apatow. It has Amy Schumer. And it has Lebron James.