The Sunday Mail
Tinashe Kusema The Big & Small Screen —
ONE of the many pleasures I derive from writing this column — apart from getting paid to do something I am willing do for free — is that it has given me a new appreciation for the little guy in my life. I am not talking about my son, but referring to the men and women behind the cameras who do the work that does not give them celebrity status.
These include writers, choreographers, stunt doubles and co-ordinators, catering staff, the guys who do the music, and those unknowns whose sole purpose on a movie set is to hold the boom mic. I really feel for that last guy. While most awards shows offer rewards for great music, cinematography and the likes, there is nothing for the boom mic guy except maybe a small cheque and a “see you next time” from the director.
No one even cares to wait and read their names when the credits start rolling. So here’s to all the boom mic guys out there. You are the silent heroes of the movie world.
The reason I started today’s column by mentioning the “little guys” is that I recently watched a flick that was all about them.
“Bad Moms” is a quite an enjoyable movie.
It is funny, has lots of good acting, and the guys who wrote the flick and those who did the music did a really outstanding job. There were some acts that veered off-road and dulled things a bit, but the music was there to keep things going. It has been said “the oddest acquaintances make the best of friends” and, if I am to be totally honest here, it does not get any weirder than the trio of Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell and Kathryn Hahn.
One is the overachieving wife of an overrated Hollywood star. Another is the overrated star of B+ chick flicks. The last is arguably one of the funniest actresses in the world today who deserves more than the supporting acts and cameo appearances her career is currently defined by.
However, when you put them together, what comes out is the gold that is “Bad Moms”; an American comedy that tries to give a unique view into the job that is motherhood. The film follows the trials of Amy Mitchell (Kunis), a fed-up suburban wife who decides to rebel.
She enlists the support of Carla, a laid back and foul-mouthed single mum, and Kiki, an abused housewife. They decide to spend their days drinking, partying, eating and making fun of their children. Their new-found dispensation quickly catches the ire of PTA president Gwendolyn James (Christina Applegate) and soon the two women (Mitchell and James) find themselves at loggerheads in a game of one-upmanship.
Now, I know what you are thinking; is that plot synopsis enough to make comedy gold? Well, no but thankfully Jon Lucas and Scott Moore are the writers behind the hidden gem of 2016. Lucas and Moore are the geniuses behind the cult classic “The Hangover” series and if there is one thing you can count on them to do, it is to bring out the best out of the most mundane storylines.
Kunis shines like a star in arguably one of her better performances; while Bell is just there and basically smiles and nods through the movie. I don’t mean to be disrespectful of her acting abilities; but I don’t know how she keeps getting these roles.
Luckily, in this movie she is surrounded by so many talented actresses in Kunis (as overrated as she is) Jada Pinket-Smith and my two favourites of 2016, Applegate and Hahn. Hahn and Applegate steal the show in this 100-minute comedy. Applegate is a worthy foe to the trio’s new outlook at life; the ying to their yang of sorts. While these three are all about chaos, she is strictly by the book.
Hahn nails her character and it saddens me that these two women did not really get much screen time. Hahn’s Carla is a total rebel; she swears a lot and doesn’t really care how she dresses. There is a special cameo by one Martha Stewart. It didn’t work for me as they tried a bit too hard to convince us that Martha is still a big deal, when in actual fact she is not.
The music is on point and shows an acute awareness of its times and the target audience. The dialogue was on point, the gags have tonnes of humour, while the usual movie clichés are few and far in-between. There is also a lesson to be learnt from the movie with regards to how we treat our mothers. Personally, I immediately called up my mother and told her “I love you” after my first viewing.
