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A family (Jamie Lee Curtis, Kristen Bell and the immortal Betty White) star in the revenge-themed comedy “You Again.” |
“High school was a horror movie!” Marni shrieks. “And this weekend was the sequel!”
Actually, if Marni could see her own movie “You Again,” she would realize high school was nothing compared to the horror that she’s giving us.
A listless, draggy, torpid revenge comedy, “You Again” throws characters of varying degrees of dislikeability on the screen, gives them inane things to say (“I’m so sorry I was evil!”) and stupid things to do. (A woman falling once is not funny. Falling down twice? Really not funny.)
“You Again” is also a dishonest movie that doesn’t make any effort to keep track of its own history. One key character, the beautiful Joanna (Odette Yustman), supposedly has seen the light, repented for being a bully in high school and become a better person.
No, she didn’t.
Joanna is a proven liar who clearly has continued her bullying ways. Yet, the ending to Andy Fickman’s comedy must ignore all this in order for it to make sense.
Kristen Bell plays Marni, who went through high school as a zit-infested, brace-wearing nerd subjected to intimidation and harassment by the beautifully evil Joanna.
Years later, Marni has come into her own beauty and evolved into a successful PR executive whose brother Will (James Wolk) is getting married.
To Joanna!
Or as Marni refers to her, Satan’s Spawn.
When Marni meets Joanna, she’s shocked. Joanna doesn’t recognize her from high school. Or does she? (Read more…)