The Boss

"I don't need anyone. I'm going straight to the top." Michelle Darnell (McCarthy) has had a hard life. Living in and out of orphanages growing up hardened her and made her the woman she is today; one of the richest and most powerful women in the world, and former prison inmate. When she is released she has nothing and no one to turn to, except her former assistant Claire (Bell). Willing to accept her in for a few days but after Michelle takes Claire's daughter to her Girl Scout meeting everything changes. After watching the last few McCarthy movies I have said that she only has a few movies left before her humor starts to get played out. After watching this one I realize that I am wrong. She is as hilarious as ever in this one and is one of her best movies she has ever made. She really lets loose in this movie and says and does things that are different then her usual unsure of herself characters, and it works. There is something about her that is just so likable that even when she plays a character like this you can't help but laugh with, and not at. Overall, one of the funniest and smartest comedies I have seen in a while. I laughed out loud many many times watching this, and I watched by myself. McCarthy is a comic genius and I can't wait till her next movie. Watch this today, unless you offend easy. I easily give this an A…a very very hilarious A.

I really hate it when bad movies happen to good people. Despite bursting onto the entertainment scene with a killer supporting role in Bridesmaids (2011) and a star turn in Mike & Molly (2010- present), Melissa McCarthy has struggled to find material truly worthy of her talent. She's a reliable box office draw and can be trusted to perform exceptionally well with an assortment of interesting characters so why is she constantly being saddled with wafer-thin plots, broad and boring scripts and paint-by-numbers directorial choices? Is it pride; risk aversion; nepotism?

The Boss is the story of Michelle Darnell (McCarthy) a larger-than- life business tycoon, who looses it all for insider trading and is forced to start from the bottom once more. Armed only with a mega- maniacal ego and aided by her former assistant turned partner Claire (Bell), Darnell desperately tries to claw her way up to the top of Chicago's industry professionals. Undermining her at every turn however, are a multitude of former colleagues and competition who will stop at nothing to keep her at bay. Her most nefarious foe is Renault (Dinklage) a former lover whose obsession with Darnell is rivaled only by his obsession with the ways of the Samurai.

McCarthy (predictably) does a stellar job channeling her inner Trump. The story begins with Darnell as a young girl being dropped off a number of times by would-be adoptive parents which, while being a lazy setup does give the audience a reference point in which to pin our aspirations. McCarthy takes that baton and runs with it; fleshing out the broadly drawn character into one you could imagine exists in real life. You're never made privy as to why everyone hates her and abandons her (other than Renault) though I suppose one could gleam such insights by her unofficial motto "Family is for suckers." Also despite once again being a lazy setup, the emotional payoff by the end isn't exactly deserved, but thanks to McCarthy's sensitivity she at least saves it from being offensively ham-fisted.

One can't help but think there was a much better comedy left on the cutting room floor here. There are extended moments of improvisation that go no where, and could have been sacrificed for the sake of filling in plot-lines that are dropped or disappear into the ether. One particular plot-line surreptitiously involves Kathy Bates as Darnell's former sensei Ida Marquette who despises her but we never find out why. You'd think with two very talented actresses a moment of catharsis could have been captured on film but instead we get five minutes of McCarthy and Cedric Yarbrough taunting Claire for being the smartest gal in the room.

Speaking of Kristen Bell; the former Veronica Mars (2004-2007) star plays a variation of the nagging, humorless, smarter-than-thou wife we've seen in hundreds in sitcoms and comedic vehicles. Her character is so irredeemably oppressive and boring that when Claire and Darnell have the third act falling out we all know is coming, I was less worried about what would happen to her than I was about why no one was standing in front of Chicago's Cloud Gate sculpture during the film's wistful montage. Her character arc completes itself with a budding romance with Mike (Labine) that was neither interesting nor convincing.

Yet despite all it's faults, the movie achieves what it set out to achieve, that is to say it makes it's audience laugh and laugh often. This is largely accomplished on the strength of bawdy R-rated humor and McCarthy's shrewd comic timing. Peter Dinklage, who gives a particularly daffy performance, has a lot of fun riffing, joking and tumbling with McCarthy, thus saving the film's third act contrivance from completely ruining the movie. The Boss is certainly not worth the price of admission unless you're already a fan of Melissa McCarthy. Yet for those already annoyed by her shenanigans, The Boss is just further confirmation that she's simply playing to the Plebes.

'THE BOSS': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

Slapstick comedy flick, re-teaming actress Melissa McCarthy with writer/director Ben Falcone (her husband); the two previously performed the same duties on the 2014 hit comedy flick 'TAMMY'. McCarthy stars in the movie, and she also co-wrote the script; with Falcone and (actor turned first time screenwriter) Steve Mallory (who also played a small part in 'TAMMY'). The film costars Kristen Bell, Ella Anderson, Peter Dinklage, Tyler Labine and Kathy Bates (who also costarred in 'TAMMY'). It tells the story of a very successful businesswoman, named Michelle Darnell, who's imprisoned for insider trading, that tries to make a comeback by selling delicious brownies. Michelle Darnell is based on a character McCarthy previously created for the comedy troupe 'Groundlings'. The movie performed well at the Box Office (like all of McCarthy's films), but it also did poorly with critics (like almost all of McCarthy's movies). I liked it (like most of McCarthy's films).

Michelle Darnell (McCarthy) was an extremely rich and powerful businesswoman; and then she was busted for insider trading. When she gets out of prison, 5 months later, none of her old business associates want anything to do with her anymore. Only Michelle's former dedicated assistant, Claire (Bell), will help her out. Claire lets Michelle stay with her, and her daughter Rachel (Anderson). At first the ex-con is extremely annoying, but then she learns to bond with Claire and Rachel; and when she learns how good Claire's home cooked brownies are, she gets an obsessive new business idea.

I think McCarthy is a very talented comedic performer, and writer, and this character is brilliant. So the movie is definitely funny. It's a little hit-and-miss, but it's more hit than miss (I think). It's not hilarious, or an exceptionally well made film; but if your'e looking for laughs, it should deliver. Unless you're just not a fan of Melissa McCarthy, or her style of comedy (everyone has their own tastes), than this film probably isn't for you.

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Michelle Darnell (Melissa McCarthy) was rejected by adoptive parents many times and learned to not rely on families. She becomes a hard-nosed successful businesswoman. Darnell gets 5 months for insider trader after being outed by bitter ex Renault (Peter Dinklage). Her long-suffering assistant Claire Rawlings (Kristen Bell) finally quits. When she gets out of prison, she has nobody and nowhere to stay. She guilts Claire's daughter Rachel for a place to crash. She goes to Rachel's Dandelion meeting and decides to start the competing Darnell's Darlings to sell Claire's brownies. She convinces Claire to date Mike Beals (Tyler Labine) and quit her job under bad boss Dana Dandridge (Cecily Strong).

Some of the jokes work well and some others are awkwardly bad. There are plenty of stupid pratfalls that aren't smart enough. Melissa needs to trim back those bad jokes that aren't working. She and husband Ben Falcone need help to sharpen up their material. The basic premise has good bones. They have the lovely Kristen Bell. The little girls are cute and the girl fight is hilarious. Melissa and Ben have a tendency to inject bad low-grade comedy in all the wrong places. This is better than some of their other comedies and this could have worked much better than this.

'The Boss' is A Fun Comedy, that's pretty watchable, especially if you're a Melissa McCarthy fan. Its definitely flawed, but some of the jokes are right on.

'The Boss' Synopsis: A titan of industry is sent to prison after she's caught insider trading. When she emerges ready to rebrand herself as America's latest sweetheart, not everyone she screwed over is so quick to forgive and forget.

'The Boss' isn't clever, but what it is, is a lighthearted comedy. Sure, its verbose & not all is fun here, but McCarthy's spirited performance makes a lot of it work. Ben Falcone, McCarthy & Steve Mallory's Screenplay succeeds in making you laugh at times, but a funnier approach wouldn't have hurt. Ben Falcone's Direction, on the other-hand, is just about okay. Cinematography & Editing, too, are ordinary.

Performance-Wise: McCarthy is the life of the show. She's first-rate! Kristen Bell is endearing. Ella Anderson is cute. Peter Dinklage is hilariously over-the-top. Kathy Bates is adequate.

On the whole, 'The Boss' isn't without its share of laughs.