Saturday, April 14, 2018

[Review] Blockers


Bombarding in as Kay Cannon's directorial debut, Blockers is a hysterical and commendably adept generational clash comedy that brings some major laughs with a remarkably stellar cast.

Leslie Mann, John Cena, and Ike Barinholtz play a trio of intrusive helicopter parents, and Prom Night is approaching for their respective daughters (Kathryn Newtson, Geraldine Viswanathan, Gideon Aldon), so worries are running high, especially as they catch wind (or should I say - catch eggplant emojis) that their daughters have made a pact to lose their virginities as one last hurrah before they head off to college. So the terrified parents frantically spend the whole night tracking them down and attempting to bust their plans.

This thing is insanely hilarious, tremendously awkward, and explicitly raunchy in the best and most effective ways. It evokes the laughs that make you slouch over and hold your stomach (on a sidenote, it's a really good companion piece to this year's Game Night -- and believe it or not, even Love, Simon). And there are a handful of setpieces that will go down as some of the wildest, most scream-worthy comedy scenes in recent movie memory -- from butt-chugging shenanigans at a party, to a secondhand puke disaster in a limo, to John Cena accidentally getting caught in a role-playing game gone terribly wrong. Speaking of Cena, he's the absolute standout here. In fact, his cargo shorts alone are enough to make each scene he's in funny. But one of the best running jokes of the film is about his seemingly macho character tending to well up whenever something slightly emotional happens. Also great is Geraldine Viswanathan, who plays Cena's daughter in the film. Her comic timing is fantastic and she demonstrates some impressive range throughout. It's really a breakout performance.

Even with all its unfiltered craziness, Blockers builds to a pleasantly surprising climax of heartfelt moments that culminate in three different and thoughtful ways. More comedies like this, please.

( 8/10 )


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