Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021) Movie Review
Oh my gosh. I cannot tell you how long I have waited for the writers of Bridesmaids, Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, to team up again. Finally it has arrived. And it was not at all what I expected but in the best way. If Bridesmaids was too crazy or silly for you then I can tell you without a doubt that you will not like Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar.
The movie opens in an evil lair with the villain, a very pale woman named Sharon (Kristen Wiig), plotting how to destroy the town of Vista Del Mar because of an unfortunate event that happened to her as a child there. She sends her minion Edgar (Jamie Dornan) to the town to supervise the release of a swarm of mosquitoes that will kill the entire town.
At first, I had to double check that I had selected the correct movie, because this seemed vastly different than what had been advertised. Don’t worry. Once you get past the lair scenes, it cuts to Barb (Annie Mumolo) and Star (Kristen Wiig). They are two middle aged women who live in Nebraska and work at a furniture store. Their world is turned upside down when they learn that the store is closing and that they no longer have jobs. They decide they are in a rut and need to break out of it by going on vacation. They choose Vista Del Mar upon the recommendation of a friend.
Once they arrive in Vista Del Mar, the movie which was already over the top becomes even more wild. Barb and Star get drunk and do drugs with Edgar. There are several musical numbers, the best of which involves Edgar parodying a music video and singing to seagulls on the beach. Basically, the plot is irrelevant here. The movie is just a string of bits that showcase Wiig and Mumolo’s comedic talents. At one point the ladies ride in from sea on a mermaid, if that gives you any idea of the seriousness of the movie.
Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is basically a stoner buddy comedy but instead of James Franco and Seth Rogen, Wiig and Mumolo are inserted. The result is spectacular. It is kooky and ridiculous but it’s fun and light and you don’t have to really pay all that much attention to laugh at the absurdity. That being said, I highly recommend not being sober for this one. You need to have some kind of buzz to make this thing enjoyable or I’ll even go a step further, tolerable. Wiig and Mumolo have accents that will make you laugh and they riff off each other throughout the one hour and forty-seven minute runtime. It’s a bit too long for my taste. They could have shaved off about fifteen minutes and it would have made watching it a bit easier.
But the overall silliness of the movie is exactly what this dreadful COVID world needed. This is not Bridesmaids in any way, shape, or form. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is an entirely different vibe and tone, so go into it with adjusted expectations. If you’re looking for utter silliness and strung together bits of comedy that either hits merrily or misses terribly then you’ll want to catch Barb and Star.
Film or Movie: Movie
You’ll like this movie if:
1. You like SNL
2. You like stoner buddy comedies
3. You’re fans of Wiig and Mumolo
