5. Trainwreck - The Moment Where The Final Scene Is Airlifted In From A Different Film
Amy Schumers kind-of-sort-of autobiographical comedy, directed by Judd Apatow, defiantly attacks the usual rom-com cliches and assumptions in witty and subversive style right up until the end, where either Apatow or Schumer (or both) inexplicably lose the courage of their convictions and plaster on a fake-ass, crowd-pleasing romantic comedy ending. I may have missed some subtlety in the movie, but it seems to me that protagonist Amy Townsend s trainwreck lifestyle isnt one that she has any intention of apologising for right up until the moment that the film decides its time for her to apologise for it. In a film driven by character, such an out of character decision is jarring and inconsistent, not to mention annoying as hell. After that, its just the icing on the cake to have her stage a climactic awkward but winsome Drew Barrymore style stunt with a pro cheerleading routine to make an exhibition of herself in public and thereby win back the guy she likes. Its cute, and appealing, and it ends the film with - I sh*t you not - a mutual declaration of love, a kiss, applause from everyone around them, and a pan-away-and-pull-back crane shot to reveal that their kiss is front and centre on the courtside big screens. Its like they realised how many established Hollywood tropes theyd slapped in the face with the preceding two hours, and felt the need to restore the balance by slapping their own movie in the face in the last five minutes. If I could have thrown my own eyes at the screen in dismayed contempt, I would have.
Professional writer, punk werewolf and nesting place for starfish. Obsessed with squid, spirals and story. I publish short weird fiction online at desincarne.com, and tweet nonsense under the name Jack The Bodiless. You can follow me all you like, just don't touch my stuff.
