Tag: Sugar Lyn Beard

MIKE & DAVE NEED WEDDING DATES (2016)

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Directed By: Jake Szymanski 

Written By: Andrew Jay Cohen and Brendan O’Brien

Cinematography: Matthew Clark 

Editor: Lee Haxall and Jonathan Schwartz 

Cast: Zac Effron, Adam DeVine, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza, Sugar Lyn Beard, Alice Wetterlund, Sam Richardson, Mary Holland, Stephen Root, Stephanie Faracy, Lavell Crawford, Kumail Nanjani, Marc Maron, Jake Johnson, Erik Griffen, 

Two hard-partying brothers place an online ad to find the perfect dates for their sister’s Hawaiian wedding. Hoping for a wild getaway, the boys instead find themselves out-hustled by an uncontrollable duo.

Oddly based in a true story but obviously loosely for maximum fun with the premise. 

No one is going into this room, expecting a masterpiece or a great dramatic acting so as long as you take this film at face value, I think you will most likely enjoy it.

This is one of the last juvenile, modest budgeted comedies that was given a lot of promotion, but didn’t quite live up to expectations. As now this film would probably be made more for streaming, though wouldn’t have as healthy of a budget and would seem like it was filmed on sex more than actual lavish locations so in other words, it was one of the last of a dying breed.

These were the types of films that were big in the 90s and 2000s were just seemed like you put a recognizable name stitch a plot together and put a whole lot of randomness and funny ideas together and hopefully it works. 

Now, while this film isn’t special in itself, it is a good time waster and if you’re into this type of raunchy, but not over the top juvenile humor, you might find yourself entertained. As throughout it refers to other body comedies such as. THE WEDDING CRASHERS, as it is clear that is what it aspires to be.

Now, while Adam Devine handles more of the silly goofy character comedy, Zac Efron is more the hot but dim character who has a good heart and while they are at the center of the film, the film surprisingly let’s the comedy team of Aubrey Plaza and Anna Kendrick Moore handle the more crazy over the top comedic scenes and characters.

As while their film is stocked with a lot of great supporting actors, most of whom our comedians and helped really sell the film in it situations the two standouts surprisingly or Anna Kendrick an Oscar nominated dramatic actress who is could hear playing a slightly dim and emotional party girl who had a chance to settle down and was briskly taken away from her, and it’s still going through the trauma of it, but realizes the damage that has been done to her and buy her.

The other actor who shines here is Sugar Lyn Beard, more of a supporting character, and at first her character is straight least, but throughout the film, she becomes more and more unhinged and untangled due to the other characters and the places that she finds herself are so strange, but she seems just to roll with it and truly just cracks up the audience. She’s played these roles before in other films more and smaller doses but here she really gets a chance to shine. 

Other than that, the film is entertaining, but doesn’t bring anything new to the table it offers what is expected with a few surprises at how far it goes.

It’s a shame one wishes there were more movies like this coming out that just feel relaxing. That aren’t overly stupid but aren’t necessarily that smart or trying to change the comedic film landscape. It’s also nice to see films like these that don’t necessarily have stars per se, but recognizable comedic actors who finally get to play more leading roles or get to have more meatier more fun roles.

Grade: C+

UNPREGNANT (2020)

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Directed by: Rachel Lee Goldenberg 
Written by: Rachel Lee Goldenberg, Jenni Hendricks, Ted Caplan, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson & Bill Parker
Based On The Book By: Jenni Hendricks & Ted Caplan 
Cinematography: Doug Emmett
Editor: Julia Wong

Cast: Haley Lu Richardson, Barbie Ferreira, Giancarlo Esposito, Breckin Meyer, Alex Macnicoll, Sugar Lyn Beard, Denny Love, Betty Who, Mary McCormack, Jeryl Prescott 

A 17-year old Missouri teen named Veronica discovers she has gotten pregnant, a development that threatens to end her dreams of matriculating at an Ivy League college, and the career that will follow.

This film doesn’t really offer anything new. Except for teens who are savvier. even when it comes to birth control and sex but still find themselves making the same mistakes.

While I can give the film some points for being witty. It is mroe episodic and comedic in nature than the situation would have you believe. Like the similar film from. The same year NEVER,  SOMETIMES, RARELY, ALWAYS 

It deals with teen pregnancy and abortion but here. While it has its dramatic moments. The film ends up being a kiddy comedy and road trip movie a live all Else.

A coming of age tale about two best friends reuniting and eventually finally communicating and learning g about themselves and each other finally being truthful in the minefield of teenage life and high school.

One of the most appealing aspects of the movie is that while it is made for all audience members and some adults might actually enjoy the film. The film is obviously made for teenagers. Characters they can identify with and the filmmakers are smart enough to make it a film not full of preaching nor talking down-to the audience but offering characters who aren’t perfect and make mistakes but also are likable and loyal.

Of course most of the characters they meet along the way move the story forward but feel more like stick characters or comedic relief. Who only help to confuse the situations and characters.

The boyfriend character I am happy the film dismantles and exposes. Where he still has toxic masculinity even though he believes himself to be right because he is nice and sensitive. Yet still seeks to control his girlfriend and kind. Even though when the condom broke but neglected to tell her. Even tho consensual could easily also be seen as sexual assault. The film doesn’t go there but seems a little implied 

Also though the movie is entertaining again Haley Lu Richardson walks away with the movie and it shows that she has graduated from this type of material. She has been in So many of these films at this point. That while she is good. She deserves better.

Barbie Ferrera is the only other movie I have seen her in other than EUPHORIA the television series and while this character is less sexual. She is still kind of the outsider and she excels at the character. 

Grade: C+