Laid off from their dream jobs as part-time layabout furniture salesmen, two chatty middle-aged Nebraska women splurge on a trip to gulf coast Florida. One last chance to take a risk and try something exciting before easing into their golden years. Groundlings alumni Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo (the duo behind 2011's Bridesmaids) are the titular gossips, all decked out in a series of outfits delivered direct from the 1996 Sears spring catalog, recklessly throwing caution to the wind and partying far past their bedtimes.
There's something silly, yet entrancing, about watching that happen; a pair of picture-perfect squares suddenly empowered to let it all hang out, no matter how ridiculous they might look. Much of the well-targeted humor plays upon that theme, culminating in an unlikely romantic rivalry over a handsome-but-sensitive beau (Jamie Dornan). It's goofy and absurd, maybe a bit on the light side, but good for at least as many chuckles and snickers as a strong modern SNL skit. The screen gets too crowded in the later chapters, though, with a rush of competing sub-plots and bit roles elbowing in on the ladies' extravagance. Those might be good for a one-note laugh here and there, but they're also involved enough to demand some sort of future resolution, and dutifully punching those out during the climax is a chore that weighs down the whole ship.
While the going is good, Barb and Star is loose fun with a few fleeting sharp points, but many of its bits are derivative (Wiig basically plays Dr. Evil in an unnecessary villainous turn) and the home stretch is a drag. Don't let it keep you awake, should you find yourself nodding off: all the best material is in the first hour.
Review by JustenVIP 4BlockedParent2023-07-22T16:44:57Z
“I don't really know more than what I've already said. And some of what I said I'm not even sure I actually know.”
I’m still so sad this never got a theatrical run. Barb and Star is my go-to ‘feel good and laugh’ film and seeing it with an audience would’ve been amazing given how much I’ve laughed watching it on my own.
It keeps holding up for me through every rewatch. The humour is ridiculous and weird but grounded by the incredible heart in the friendship between Barb and Star. Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo keep the emotional truth between their characters so consistent and so wholeheartedly commit to the charmingly bizarre tangents that I trust them every moment of this film and am rewarded with hilarity and heart. I love Jamie Doornam flexing muscles we don’t often get to see him use and he fits seamlessly in Wiig and Mumolo’s world. And all the smaller roles add to the fun and and colour with Reyn Doi as a special shout-out.
Barb and Star is a litmus test film for me now. If someone lets themselves get taken on this journey and appreciates the combination of silliness, love, and friendship, it’s a good sign we’ll get along.