Spring Breakdown

I don't think this movie is for everyone. But I saw it this weekend in Seattle and I thought it was so funny. I haven't laughed that hard during a movie in long time. I thought the entire cast did a great job. You will find yourself laughing from the first moment through the very last scene. I suspect some moviegoers (especially the ones who take themselves WAY too seriously) will be turned off by this brand of humor. Not me. The movie was a real surprise. And the entire theater was rolling with laughter throughout the showing I went to which makes me think that a lot of people enjoyed themselves and were happy to have a good time at the movies for a change. I cannot wait to see it again! If you're in the mood to LOL then this is for you. Funny funny funny funny!

Becky (Parker Posey) works as a sub-underling for a powerful senator (Jane Lynch). Her closest friends from high school, Gayle (Amy Poehler) and Judi (Rachel Dratch) also live nearby and they often take vacations together. One day, Gayle, a dog trainer, gets rejected by a handsome blind man (Poehler's real life hubby, Will Arnett) and Judi comes home to find her fiancé in a clinch with another man. These two are so ready for the coming vacay. But, Becky's plans change and, consequently, so does the other gals' destinations. The senator, a possible vice presidential candidate, has a daughter, Ashley (Amber Tamblyn) on a college spring break and she asks Becky to go keep an eye on her child at South Padre Island. Actually, all of the older women are fairly excited, for when they were at the university, they got rejected by sororities and never went on a spring vacation. When they arrive, the trio of ladies are greeted by a hotel clerk (Missy Pyle), who brags she is experiencing HER 18th spring break. Now, this hotel worker is going to ensure that Becky, Gayle, and Judi "party hearty", too! Along the way, the gals meet handsome younger men, witness salsa-tub wrestling, and decide to put on a singing act for the island's talent show. Will this be a memorable spring break or a breakdown, for Ashley is still under observation, after all. Well? This is really a cute story, which Dratch helped write. All of the three principals do a great job as the trusted friends, with Posey the biggest surprise, for her role is sweet and naive, not her usual sassy type. The rest of the cast is also great, with special praise for Lynch and Pyle, they are utterly hysterical. The scenery, naturally, is beautiful, making one want to hop on a plane to SPI NOW. All of the other film attributes, such as costumes, script, camera work, and direction, are worthy, too. If you like romantic comedy or any of the cast members, seek this film out. Springing a few bucks for a view will be the best decision you made all week.

Released in 2009 and directed by Ryan Shiraki, "Spring Breakdown" is a comedy about three geeky women in their mid-30s (Amy Poehler, Parker Posey & Rachel Dratch) who finally decide to get "with it" by going to Spring Break at the notorious South Padre Island, Texas. They're supposed to keep an eye on a senator's daughter (Amber Tamblyn) so she doesn't get out of hand. Jane Lynch plays the politician whereas Missi Pyle is on hand as a party girl.

The plot is cute, there are some quietly amusing bits and the raunch is thankfully kept at bay, but this is mostly a missed opportunity. I think females will appreciate it more than I did; it screams "chick flick." It does, however, show the awful truth about the bikini & beer subculture built around Spring Break (pukin' on the beach and having sex with a total stranger while dead drunk; yeah that sounds like fun – woo hoo!).

The film runs 84 minutes and was shot at South Padre Island, Texas, and Long Beach & Los Angeles (UCLA), California.

GRADE: C- (4.5/10)

Gayle O'Brien (Amy Poehler), Becky St. Germaine (Parker Posey), and Judi Joskow (Rachel Dratch) are three friends from State College. They think that things will get better, but 15 years later, they are still losers. Becky works for Senator Hartmann (Jane Lynch). She gets sent down to springbreak to watch over the senator's daughter Ashley Hartmann (Amber Tamblyn) and her friends Lydia (Mae Whitman) and Truvy (Sarah Hagan). Only the three young friends are really just as much of losers as the three older women.

Amy Poehler got some pretty good laughs in. When she was rejected by a blind Will Arnett, that's a funny bit. Parker Posey and Rachel Dratch aren't that funny at all. Dratch chasing after Justin Hartley seems more creepy than funny. As for the younger three, they just don't have enough to do. Amber Tamblyn is pretty good but there might be too many lead characters. Not everybody has the room to breathe.

Reading some of the comments on the message boards here I was expecting this movie to be a complete letdown - but when I watched it I could not stop laughing! It has officially become my new favourite movie.

I don't know what all the hate here is about, maybe it's because a movie of this kind has never really been around before. I am at a loss to name another completely female driven comedy. Plenty of comedies will have one or two actresses in the lead, but there will be a lot of supporting male characters. This one was almost ALL women - with the exception of Seth Meyers, Justin Hartley and the brief appearance of Will Arnett - and it worked. All of the actresses delivered very funny performances (especially Missi Pyle) from a quirky and lovable script.

The charm of this film, to me, seems to be in its subtle feminist message: accepting who you are, female success in the public sphere, the strength of female friendships and breaking gender roles. Light-hearted though it is, each of the lead characters face a challenge as their attempts to be more 'fun' conflict with their feminist values and who they knew themselves to be.

Missi Pyle proposed that this film missed a theatrical release because of its all-female cast and lack of a big-name actor to get the studios behind it, and I have to agree. Everyone I've recommended this film to has loved it and I think it's a shame that a comedy celebrating female dorkiness hasn't been widely accepted and successful.

I highly recommend this film to anyone with an open mind or a love of female-centred comedy.