The latest offering from Adam Sandler’s Happy Maddison productions sets a low bar with easy jokes, a lazy plot and familiar archetypes.
A classic slob-meets-corporate-snob is salvaged by a strong performance by Lauren Lapkus, who turns in a performance worthy of a female remake of ‘The Mask.’
This rom-com serves as a harmless diversion from the usual heady dramas on Netflix and is a good movie to relax to and then forget. Read on for a full review.
Quick Review
David Spade stars in another average Sandler production with unenthusiastic acting and nothing new to offer in terms of plot.
Lapkus shines as Missy and her antics, kooky split-second grins and over-the-top acting steal the show.
The movie showcases a brilliant female comedic lead and not much else and works if you’re a fan of rom-coms or looking for some harmless fun.
Is It Worth Watching?
The Wrong Missy is the latest comedy under the long-standing premise of a slob going to a corporate retreat with rich snobs and mortifying everyone with their behavior.
Although Adam Sandler doesn’t star in the movie is influence is felt in every aspect as he pushes out another mediocre story like ‘Murder Mystery’ and ‘The Do-Over.’
Plot
Tim Morris (Spade) is getting over his breakup with his fiancée (Sarah Chalke) and getting on with his job at a financial corporation. He goes on a blind date with Missy (Lapkus), which immediately turns into a disaster.
She shows up with a knife named Sheila, dips her hair in her wine before sucking on it, and constantly roasts Tim about his old age and weird hairdo, which she insists is a wig.
She’s loud, obnoxious, drinks too much, and the date ends with Tim escaping through the men’s room window. Three months later, at an airport, he meets another Missy when their luggage is accidentally switched. He feels a deeper connection with her as they discover several things in common.
The fact that she’s a supermodel is also an added benefit. They have to tragically part ways but not before exchanging numbers. Fast forward, and Tim invites hot airport Missy to his firm’s corporate retreat but mixes up the messages and blind date Missy shows up on the flight.
Watch Trailer Here:
When they get to Hawaii, chaos ensues as Missy goes on a chaotic romp, getting crazy drunk, hypnotizing Tim’s boss, and causing a shark attack as people from Tim’s personal and professional life look on aghast.
As one painful interaction after another unfolds pushing the limits of over-the-top physical comedy, Tim actually begins to like her and feels ‘The Wrong Missy’ might actually be right for him.
Production
The movie is written by Kevin Barnett and Chris Pappas, who wrote the Spade-Sandler starrer ‘The Do-Over’ and is directed by Tyler Spindel, who previously directed Spade in ‘Father Of The Year’ in 2018.
Like other productions by Sandler, the movie is set in beautiful, picturesque Hawaii and looks like the cast and crew had an awesome time filming it.
The Performances
David Spade takes a break from playing the macho sleazeball and dirtbag he is known for and the sweet, shy and timid Tim is a welcome change of pace for him. But the nice guy character falls flat due to lazy writing.
There isn’t much that Spade can do, and his acting comes across as unenthusiastic and lazy. After years of playing the lead, he passes the baton to Lapkus and is satisfied with a secondary role.
The movie belongs to Lauren Lapkus, who is best known for playing Susan Fischer in ‘Orange Is The New Black.’ She is hilarious from the beginning, embracing the character of the manic party animal.
She throws herself in every scene and embraces her character’s loud personality and is the anarchic spark that keeps the viewers engaged. She provides the film’s funniest and most outrageous moments.
There is the usual collection of supporting characters such as Tim’s pal in HR (Nick Swardson), his rival for a promotion who’s earned the nickname Barracuda (Jackie Sandler), and the new boss of the firm Mr. Winstone who enjoys pitting his employees against each other. None of them delivers outstanding performances and are just there to highlight the blanks in the script.
Final Thoughts
It’s difficult to find many things to criticize in a film that doesn’t aim very high, but one can’t help but hope that the next HM production sets the bar a little higher.
The jokes and comedy feel mediocre, the performances boring, and Lauren Lapkus emerges as the sole saving grace. It’s not a movie that one recommends, but if you come across it while browsing Netflix, it’s an entertaining waste of 90 minutes.
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