Tammy:
Extended Version (2014/Warner Blu-ray w/DVD)
Picture:
B+/C+ Sound: B+/B- Extras: B Film: C
Tammy
is the latest Melissa McCarthy film that you will enjoy based mostly
on your toleration or opinion of Melissa McCarthy as a comedian. If
you are a fan of road trip based comedies or feel good films about
crazy people, then this may be your ticket to laughter. Tammy is a
wild and crazy woman who is seemingly normal one minute and bats@#$
crazy the next to whom after hitting a deer with her car and wrecking
it, goes to her job at a low paying fast food restaurant and
dramatically quits. Soon after she comes home to see that her
husband has been cheating on her with Toni Colette (both of whom we
only see talking sweetly to each other and never engaged in physical
contact), demands a divorce. Once in at home with her family, Tammy
decides to take a one way trip out of the town to explore and see the
world only to unwillingly take her sickly Grandmother Pearl (Susan
Sarandon) along for the ride because she needs her car (and her huge
wad of money.) Tammy has beer with Pearl, and the next morning they
wake up near a park where Pearl convinces Tammy not to go back home.
Pearl wants to go to Niagara Falls with Tammy since she hasn't gone
as a child.
Along
the way the two stop in a bar in Louisville, Kentucky, Tammy meets
Earl (Gary Cole) and his son Bobby (Mark Duplass), and Earl hooks up
with Pearl. Tammy and Bobby begin to make a love connection as Pearl
and Earl drunkenly make out in the car. Bobby gives Tammy his number
to call him so he can pick up Earl.
Back
at the hotel, Tammy is forced to sleep outside. The next morning,
Bobby picks up Earl and the two leave. Tammy, infuriated with Pearl,
leaves Pearl, but returns after feeling guilty. Tammy and Pearl are
arrested since Pearl has illegal prescription drugs. Tammy is
released, but Pearl stays at the jail.
To
bail Pearl out Tammy robs a Topper Jack's, where she converses with
employees, Becky (Sarah Baker) and Larry (Rich Williams). Finally
having obtained the money, she rushes to the prison to bail her out,
but Bobby has already bailed Pearl out.
With
the help of Pearl's wealthy lesbian cousin Lenore (Kathy Bates), who
made her fortune off of a small chain of pet supply stores), they
destroy the car to hide the evidence from the robbery. The two then
stay at the home of Lenore and her wife, Susanne (Sandra Oh). At a
4th of July party thrown at the house, Pearl gets drunk and
humiliates Tammy by making rude comments about her weight and
appearance in front of all the guests. Then the film adds a few
slightly serious turns as the plot tries to tie all this together.
While
the production value is never bad and the acting is passable, the
film leaves open some pretty big plot holes like how does Pearl not
die after not taking her medication for so long? Why is Tammy's
personality defects never officially addressed? All in all, the film
isn't bad for a one time watch but ultimately doesn't stand out.
The
1080p high definition transfer is top notch and gives you an
exceptional presentation of the film in anamorphic widescreen with an
aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The sound is also high quality with a DTS-HD
5.1 Master Audio lossless track that shakes the house and an optional
French Dolby Digital 5.1 track as well. Subtitles are in English
SDH, French, and Spanish. Total running time for the Extended Cut is
100 minutes and the Theatrical is 97 minutes. The DVD version of the
film that is also included features a high standard for the format
but doesn't reach the exceptional quality of Blu-ray, including a
comedy, which is usually not a genre with spectacular camerawork.
Extras
include:
Extended
Cut of Tammy: The Blu-ray/DVD/UltraViolet combo pack release of Tammy
features the film's original 97-minute theatrical version and its
101-minute extended cut.
Tammy's
Road Trip Checklist: McCarthy and Falcone share road trip stories.
Deleted
Scenes: A small collection of expendable deleted scenes.
Fun
Extras: A somewhat longer series of alternate takes.
Gag
Reel: The actors at least had fun on set.
-
James Harland Lockhart V
https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv
