Trainwreck (2015), R, ★★★1/2

Amy Schumer and Bill Hader having a good time.

As a tool for this latest comedy this year, the movie's execution made me realize whether or not "monogamy isn't realistic". It depends on the person's, regardless of any gender, characteristics and status in terms of one's dedicated career and life. Is this person happy enough with his or her life to engage some intellect to accrue to oneself that monogamy is not realistic...for now? Maybe...maybe not. But, the next question is: When is the right time to find the one that you want to spend the rest of your life with? The comedy is a smart and vulgar movie that engages a bit of intellect into the witty screenplay that captures your attention and makes you laugh and it's all thanks to a comedian who is going to definitely make her mark thanks to this film.

The movie opens with a flashback of Gordon (Colin Quinn) telling to his daughters Amy and Kim that he and his wife are getting a divorce and have them recite that "monogamy isn't realistic". Then, we jump to present day and witness Amy (Amy Schumer) in a montage getting drunk, getting stoned, and having one-night stands with multiple guys but she is sort of dating Steven (John Cena).

Amy works at S'nuff - a snarky men's magazine. After commenting about the night before to her co-worker, Nikki (Vanessa Bayer), she goes into a meeting with her boss, Dianna (Tilda Swinton), asking for pictures regarding new articles. Despite not wanting to write about this next article because she thinks sports is stupid, Amy is assigned to write an article regarding a sports doctor named Aaron Conners (Bill Hader). Dianna thinks that Amy's take on the article will be persuasive and interesting to the magazine.

After packing up their dad's things with Kim (Brie Larson), who does not think that monogamy is not realistic as she is married to Tom (Mike Birbiglia) and she has a step-son, and visiting Gordon at a home, Amy meets Aaron and interviews while LeBron James stops by and insists that he wants to get together with him on watching and discussing about Downton Abbey and validating his parking ticket. When her date with Steven does not go well, Amy spends more time with Aaron, getting to know him and bond over dinner, but then she breaks one rule when she spends the night with Aaron at his place. Aaron is actually infatuated with Amy, so she's in sort of a pickle here.

Bill Hader and Lebron James laughing during a phone call.

This movie is vulgar and have crude jokes but this movie has a sweet and intelligent balance with the typical R-rated material. But, the screenplay is the winner because it reverses the gender roles of having the female having the promiscuous nights out with random guys and having the male being the person who deeply cares about the relationship and the female. It is a very interesting approach to the material and it works beautifully as it delivers on the jokes, on the dialogue, on the chemistry with multiple people and on the performances. This hits home-run in all four territories for 2/3's of the running time.

Amy Schumer is a stand-out as she is the next star that many people, especially in the canon of comic talent, would want to hire because she is talented as she delivers a charismatic and realistic performance on-screen. And to not give anything away, she is also a good dramatic actress. Bill Hader is excellent as the doctor and has a nice chemistry with Schumer and he's having a very good year with this movie and Inside Out. LeBron James and John Cena are quite hilarious in the roles. Brie Larson also gives a nuanced and assured performance as Kim who exchanges great one-liners with Schumer. Colin Quinn is particularly excellent as the father who is a total curmudgeon. And, I did not recognize Tilda Swinton as the boss because she is a talented chameleonic actress who blends into the environment real well.

Again, it is the screenplay that is the winner and I think that the Academy needs to nominate Amy Schumer's material for the sharpness and realism that is put on-screen because it is a personal story based on Schumer's point of view. Some of the material in the first 2/3s are some of the best that director Judd Apatow (Knocked Up, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Funny People) has ever directed but the movie sort of dials down into a predictable route of situations where they are problematic and resolved conclusions where it hams to a real conventional ending. Plus, the funny material drags in the last third where some of the sharp humor goes away. So, he could have cut otherwise 10 minutes of a nearly perfect comedy.

But, the performances and Amy Schumer's writing interweaves with a delicate balance of sophisticated and raunchy humor and sweet charm on the two leads that boosts Schumer's career and puts director Apatow back in the right direction after the overlong and failed This is 40. This is probably the funniest comedy of the summer up there with Spy. I would not be surprised if I will talk about this movie in the end of the year where I compile the top 10 list because I may see it again in the future.

***1/2