As a founding member of The Collective, a New York-based theatre company, Schumer is celebrated as the creator, star, writer and executive producer of the Primetime Emmy Award-nominated Comedy Central television series Inside Amy Schumer, where her provocative and hilariously wicked mind is on full display as she explores topics revolving around sex, relationships and life through a series of scripted vignettes, stand-up comedy and man-on-the-street interviews. She was recently seen in such critically acclaimed series as FX's Louie and HBO's Girls, and on the big screen she starred in Seeking a Friend for the End of the World.
Be prepared to be shocked by Schumer's unconventional antics in Trainwreck, whose character enjoys sleeping around and speaks her mind in a romance that dares to be different, and ends up winning you over. It's one of those films that swiftly draw you in with its colourful characters and colourful dialogue, allowing you to laugh out loud and lose yourself in its outrageousness without being offended.
What really makes Trainwreck work extremely well, is the unison between director Judd Apatow and Amy Schumer. Apatow is regarded as a contemporary comedic cultural anthropologist who has chronicled the messy human experience with films he directed liked Knocked Up and The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and those he's produced, like Superbad and Bridesmaids; all unified by their honest, unflinching, comic look at how complicated it is to grow up in the modern world.
While driving to work and listening to The Howard Stern Show, Judd Apatow grew intrigued by Schumer, and when he listened to her radio show, he grew more curious the longer that he listened and found her dark humour fascinating. Schumer gave herself permission to go very personal with her story and wove in elements from her own past struggles with familial and romantic relationships, as well as her internal battles growing up.
In Trainwreck Schumer plays Amy, a woman who believes that that monogamy isn't realistic. As a magazine writer, Amy lives by that credo-enjoying what she feels is an uninhibited life free from stifling, boring romantic commitment-but in actuality, she's kind of in a rut. When she finds herself starting to fall for the subject of the new article she's writing, a charming and successful sports doctor named Aaron Conners (Bill Hader of The Skeleton Twins), Amy starts to wonder if other grown-ups, including this guy who really seems to like her, might be on to something.
If there's one scene everyone will be talking about, it's the awkward sexual encounter between Schumer and WWE superstar John Cena, who plays Amy's well-meaning boyfriend Steven-a committed guy who wants to make an honest woman of her and who is deeply upset to discover sexts from other men on her cell phone. During their intimate liaison Cena does what muscly jocks do best, while Schumer's character wants him to verbalise his actions. It's a laugh riot, with Cena strutting his comedic talents, particularly his natural sense of comic timing.
Equally magnificent is Tilda Swinton, who plays Dianna, editor of S'Nuff magazine and Amy's boss, a no-nonsense woman whose mission it is to create a magazine that teaches the 21st century male how to think, dress, eat and, last but not least, fornicate, and for whom nothing is too outrageous for the pages of S'Nuff, which features articles with such salacious headlines as "What's in Your Man Cave?
Trainwreck also reunites Swinton with young actor Ezra Miller, who co-starred as her homicidal son in the drama We Need to Talk About Kevin. Wait until you see what happens when Miller's nerdy character decides to seduce Amy; it's one of those scenes you will never forget, showing what happens when inexperience and experience clash head during the amorous encounter between a younger, almost androgynous juvenile , and a skilful older woman.
"My favorite thing in making movies is to find new people and to give them opportunities to figure out who they are on screen, and it's never been more fun than with Amy," says Apatow. "She is as hard a worker and as nice a person as I've ever had this experience with. We had a fantastic time the entire shoot, and that's a rare, wonderful experience. We've hopefully made a hilarious, emotional movie together. I think audiences will find it romantic, and that it will touch your heart and your soul."
If you are looking for a great trip to the movies, take few friends to see Trainwreck. You will have plenty to talk and laugh about after your viewing.
That's the charm of great comedy, allowing us to laugh at our own silliness without being offended. Nothing cures the blues like a dose of humour and Trainwreck is just what the doctor ordered.
Bizcommunity readers can win a fantastic Comedy Central goody bag by telling us who steals Amy's heart in Trainwreck and sending an email to az.oc.oidutsgnitirw@leinad.
