Ass Backwards

I must admit that I had initially expected just a bit more from this movie than what it turned out to be. So I can't really claim to have been overly impressed with the end result.

The story is about Kate (played by June Diane Raphael) and Chloe (played by Casey Wilson) who were competing in beauty pageants as young girls - and lost. Having grown up together, living together and doing everything together, the two women are side by side through thick and thin. They receive an invitation for a 50th anniversary beauty pageant in the town of Neptune. Getting there proves to be some ordeal for the two women.

That was basically the storyline wrapped up in a few lines. For a comedy, then "Ass Backwards" was really tame and you have to look far for the laughs. I think I laughed but one time throughout the entire movie, and that was when they were driving in their van and singing along to a scratched CD with the "take on me" song by A-HA. That was the highlight of the entire movie.

The jokes were non-existent, and there was just an all-through complete lack of comedy throughout the entire movie.

That being said, then I will say that the people in the movie were doing good jobs with their given roles, they just had next to nothing script-wise to work with. And the two lead actresses June Diane Raphael and Casey Wilson really carried the movie well and had great on-screen chemistry.

Perhaps I wasn't particularly in the target audience, as I am 38 years old and male, but still, this movie came and went without leaving any lasting impression at all, aside from two great performances by the lead actresses.

A comedic dud. It's very unfortunate, because it stars and was written by two of my favorite comic actresses, Casey Wilson (Happy Endings) and June Diane Raphael (NTSF:SD:SUV::). It was a labor of love for the two of them. They ran out of money at one point, halfway through filming, and had to delay the rest of the film for a year or more before finding another backer. Unfortunately, the film is just never funny. The two actresses themselves can be kind of amusing, but few laughs result from their antics. The two play former child beauty pageant participants, now in their early 30s living in New York. They get an invitation to a beauty pageant reunion, and decide to take a road trip to participate once again. The problem: they're total idiots who were terrible when they were kids and who are just as terrible as adults. There are many adventures along the way, almost none of them funny. The film wants to be an absurd comedy, but it also wants a bit of an emotional response. The two protagonists are too silly (and, frankly, unlikable) to ever be taken seriously, so all of the emotional moments fall flat. I have to admit, as much as this doesn't work, I'm too in love with the two actresses to ever not enjoy their presence. It's also too short to have really provoked anger in me. The supporting cast is generally good, too, including Vincent D'Onofrio, Bob Odenkirk, Alicia Silverstone, Paul Scheer and Sandy Martin. And Jon Cryer, who's awful, as usual.

A bit like Romy & Michelle meets Dumb & Dumber. I didn't mind it. They could have made more of it but it is what it is. It's more scratching your head laughing than laugh out loud funny. If you enjoyed Happy Endings you should love this. I did.

Whoever made this movie should have their hands fed into one of those old-school film projectors. I can guarantee that whatever mess it projects onto the silver screen would be less painful to watch than this abomination. Like I said in my summary, it's basically a remake of Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion -but without the jokes. Essentially, you have a road movie about two woman who haven't realized their best days are behind them, and are now on their way to reclaim their glory days and give "what for" to those who overlooked them when they were younger. It's kind of like a crappy Thelma & Louise. It's a pity it isn't more like it actually. At least in that film the characters die at the end -thereby sparing us any chance of a sequel. Sure they attempt jokes, but they aren't funny. It's almost like the writers were so stoned they convinced themselves they were writing jokes.

2/10

It sort of reminds me of Connie and Carla or For a Good Time Call... so if you like either of those gal pal movies you'll probably enjoy this one even if it is a little slapstick.