Quiz Lady is an absolute blast as Sandra Oh and Awkwafina have incredible chemistry together on screen, making this film both funny and heartfelt.
There’s nothing quite like a good comedy – especially with all the crazy things happening in the world right now. Quiz Lady is just that. Right from the very start, viewers will be giggling in their seats. As with any great comedic film, it gets funnier and funnier the longer it goes on, right up until the end. It isn’t just funny though. In fact, Quiz Lady delivers quite a bit of heart as well.
Awkwafina and Sandra Oh both tackle characters that are the opposite of what they normally portray, which works in an exciting and surprising way. Sandra gets to be the wild and crazy sister, Jenny, while Awkwafina is the serious and reserved Anne. Their mother and father weren’t exactly present, and they have a ten year age difference, leaving Anne to feel like she grew up alone.
When their mother’s gambling debt causes Anne’s dog, Linguini, to be kidnapped and held for ransom the two sisters must join forces to come up with a way for them to make money quickly. Anne has tuned into Can’t Stop The Quiz every evening since she was four years old, so her sister suggests that she audition to appear on the show.
Anyone who grew up sitting in front of the television from seven pm to eight pm watching Wheel Of Fortune and Jeopardy will be able to heavily relate to Anne in Quiz Lady. These game shows can be an escape, a tradition, and a feeling of safety and home. She plays well at home, always knowing the answers, but doesn’t do well with attention. Likely because she never had any as a child.
Over the course of the film, her sister Jenny helps her work on that. What ensues are a lot of laugh out loud hilarious moments, but also a lot of subtle sisterly bonding moments that are sure to warm viewers’ hearts.
One of the best things about Quiz Lady, besides the extremely relatable sibling relationship, is the supporting characters. Jason Schwartzman is a riot, especially in the third act, as defending Quiz champion. Will Ferrell plays Terry McTeer, the host of the game show, and he surprisingly brings more heart to the film than he does humor. Of course, he is still funny, but it is nice to see him deliver one of the most touching monologues of the film.
Tony Hale plays… Benjamin Franklin. Yes, you heard that right. We don’t want to spoil anything surrounding this character but just know that his dialogue is written perfectly and he is easily one of the best parts of the film.
One of the reasons Quiz Lady is so relatable is because we all feel the same way about family — especially our siblings. No matter if you see each other every day, or only on holidays, there is a bond that can never be broken. Sure, you might fight and have differences, but when all is said and done, most people are there to stick up for their siblings. It’s that mentality of, I can make fun of my sister, but you can’t.
Sandra Oh and Awkwafina so perfectly bring that sibling relationship to screen. They might be polar opposites, but they grew up together and therefore understand what each other have gone through. They will always be there for each other, no matter what. Sure, this movie is absolutely hilarious as both have comedic talent, but there is a whole lot of heart here too. This writers guess is that many will come out of Quiz Lady wanting to call their sibling, just to chat and catch up.
Quiz Lady comes to Hulu on November 3rd and is the perfect popcorn movie to enjoy with your friends — or your sibling. Oh, and there is an adorable pug, too.
Sandra Oh and Awkwafina are the comedic duo of the year in this hilarious and heartfelt film.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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About Quiz Lady
A hilarious and heartfelt comedy starring Awkwafina and Sandra Oh as estranged sisters forced to cover their mother’s gambling debts, set out to get the cash the only way they know how – by turning Anne (Awkwafina) into a bona-fide gameshow champion.
Quiz Lady comes to Hulu on November 3rd.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She is also a Freelance Writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association.