Directed by her husband Ben Falcone, Melissa McCarthy still gets to be "The Boss".
After an orphaned childhood spent bouncing between foster homes, Michelle Darnell (Melissa McCarthy) becomes a Martha Stewart/Ayn Rand self-help monster. As the "47th wealthiest woman in America," she gives over-the-top success seminars and talks trash to everyone.
Insider trading puts Michelle in a cushy prison for a few months, and her assets are seized. When she gets out, she crashes with her burnt-out former executive assistant Claire (Kristen Bell) and Claire's teenage daughter Rachel (Eliza Anderson). Soon Michelle has recruited a platoon of angry teen scouts to turn Claire's homemade brownies into an empire as she battles her business nemesis Renault (Peter Dinklage).
"The Boss" is both mean-spirited and sentimental, finally becoming absurd in it's third act. It earns its R-Rating for language, and anyone hoping to hear some choice insults will be satisfied, especially if you're a "b-i-t-c-u-n-t." McCarthy's talent with physical comedy is also on display, and there are some inspired scenes between her and Bell. But too often the jokes rely on lazy, falling-down-the-stairs Fatsploitation.
McCarthy and Bell play well together, mostly because Bell can get out of the way while still being engaging. Dinklage's role never gives him the chance to be funny ha-ha, only funny-strange. Kathy Bates is sadly wasted in two quick scenes as Michelle's former mentor. Kristen Schaal, as Rachel's soft-spoken teacher, provides a welcome comedic contrast to McCarthy.
Co-written by McCarthy, Falcone, and Steve Mallory, this movie is pulled in too many directions by too many hands. It could have used a boss.
| Movie title | The Boss |
|---|---|
| Release year | 2016 |
| MPAA Rating | R |
| Our rating | |
| Summary | Directed by her husband Ben Falcone, Melissa McCarthy still gets to be "The Boss". |
