Barb And Star Go To Vista del Mar is one of those movies that is ridiculously stupid, but you will find yourself cracking up watching it.
Barb And Star is one of those movies that will have you thinking is this actually funny or am I just out of it because it is very silly and stupid, yet hilarious at parts at the same time. Not all of the off the wall jokes land, but enough do to make this an extremely entertaining watch. There are surprise cameos, fart jokes, and a halfway decent plot for a weird comedy. This may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I sure enjoyed the laughs.
In Barb and Star Go To Vista del Mar, comedians Kristen Wiig (Star) and Annie Mumolo (Barb) play two older best friends from the Midwest who decide to get away from it all and take a trip together. Of course things do not go according to plan and they somehow get mixed up in a diabolical scheme of murder and deceit.
This comedy might not be on par with previous Wiig films like Bridesmaids, but it has the same ratio of good to bad jokes as something like MacGruber and POPSTAR. It is funny and entertaining enough, but it isn’t going to win any awards. One thing is obvious – Jamie Dornan was living his best life making this film. He is a total scene stealer.
What Works With Barb And Star
While Wiig and Mumolo are quite funny in this movie, it is Jamie Dornan who steals the show time and time again. He plays Edgar and while I do not want to say too much about his character for fear of giving what works so well about him away, I will say that it is very clear Dornan was having the time of his life while filming this movie. There is one particular dance number with him that had me practically in tears I was laughing so hard.
There are bright colors that pop all throughout the movie and really bring home that Florida feel. But probably my favorite thing about Barb And Star is the soundtrack. I was grooving in my seat time and time again because of the great song choices.
If I had to put a number to it, I would say that about 75% of the jokes land. Which is not too bad for a zany comedy like this one. Some I rolled my eyes at, and some I laughed way too hard at. There were ones that had me asking myself what is wrong with me that I am laughing so hard at such a dumb joke. But maybe that just goes to show we really need a weird comedy right now, with the way this crazy world is.
Besides the random dance and song numbers, another thing I really enjoyed was the surprise cameos. My mouth is staying zipped on these because I really think they would be a surprise to everyone to land right, but they are a lot of fun. So keep your eyes, and ears, peeled!
What Doesn’t Work With Barb And Star
This movie is stupid. But it knows it is stupid. Because of that some of the jokes land, and some fall flat. When they fall flat, they really fall flat. I did find myself rolling my eyes quite a bit, especially at the start of this movie. However, as it went on the jokes got better — or perhaps I just got more sucked into the world of Barb and Star.
At first, Wiig and Mumolo’s voices were grating to me. But as time went on, I got used to them. I will say though that the first half an hour or so, save from a handful of silly moments, was almost a struggle to get through. The payoff is there if you stick with it though. This isn’t the best stupid comedy but any means, but it is entertaining enough that it is worth watching.
Overall Thoughts
Barb And Star Go To Vista del Mar is not a game changer of a movie. But if you are looking for something ridiculous, silly, and quite frankly, stupid, to take your mind off the world for a little less than two hours, this movie is for you. It isn’t on the same level as films like Bridesmaids, but it is still pretty entertaining. Think POPSTAR and MacGruber. There are jokes that fall flat, but enough good ones to make up for them.
Jamie Dornan steals the scene every time he is on camera and just you wait until you see that dance number! It is very obvious he had a blast while filming, which makes him so much fun to watch. Of course, Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo bring the comedy as well.
There are lots of small cameos, and a couple of big ones, that keep this movie interesting as well. The soundtrack is fire and the plot is actually pretty decent considering just how weird it is. Barb And Star may not win any awards, but it is a fun escape from the world for those looking for one.
About Barb And Star Go To Vista del Mar
Lifelong friends Barb and Star embark on the adventure of a lifetime when they decide to leave their small Midwestern town for the first time ever.
Barb And Star Go To Vista del Mar is available on VOD on February 12th!
