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Hollywood Film Review

Johnson Thomas

A woebegone ‘Switch for splits’ enterprise

Film: The Stand In 

 

 

Cast: Drew Barrymore, Michael Zegen, Andrew Rannells, Michelle Buteau, T.J. Miller, Lena Dunham

Director: Jamie Babbit

Rating: * ½

Runtime: 101 mins

In The Stand in, the once effervescent Drew Barrymore (who returns to the movies after a short hiatus) essays two characters who are both shrill, self-seeking, and unredeemable. And the only challenge for her (it appears) was to be as uninteresting and unlikeable as possible – which is a tough one for an actress who has managed to transform every movie outing of hers (even the abysmal efforts) into a fairly engaging feel-good enterprise.

 

The narrative drives vacuous to a new high. Candy Black(Barrymore), the star of a series of  degenerate comedy films was super successful until she has a meltdown injuring a fellow actor (Ellie Kemper)on the set - The video of it goes viral. She goes off the radar and also gets sentenced to rehab for income tax evasion. That’s when she decides to get her timid but ambitious former stand-in Paula (also played by Barrymore) to take her place. Paula wants to get back in the laughter club biz and insists that Candy resurrect her own career to meet that purpose.

 

If you are thinking this monstrosity is anything like ‘The Princess Switch’ or ‘All about Eve’ then you are bound to be disappointed. Other than a similar plot idea, it’s a mismatch all the way through. This one is devoid of creative effort, is more likely to make you whine (than laugh) and has precious little to redeem its never ending tedium. An irregular tone and an uninspiring romantic subplot leave you totally distended. The absence of wit or imagination adds to its many woes.

 

This story of an apathetic comedy actress trading places with an ambitious lookalike is rather peculiar for a comedy. It’s neither perky, humorous nor interesting. This is indeed a zombie like effort that hits you where it hurts the most!

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