Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Trainwreck Blu-ray Movie Review

It's not its namesake, but Judd Apatow's latest disappoints.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 9, 2015

A movie like Trainwreck requires a delicate balance. It's a film in which the main character needs to be both relatable and sympathetic to get the story to where it goes, but she is, by the film's very nature (and its title), the complete opposite. How does a movie make an almost perpetually drunken and happily promiscuous character an endearing hero worth rooting for? That's the quandary facing Director Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up) and Writer/Star Amy Schumer, and despite some laughs they never quite come through with either a satisfying answer, never mind method of attack. The movie is passably humorous at its best and a pull-your-hair-out grind at its worst that's too long, too repetitive, too predictable, and too much of Schumer going on about what she ate that day or about how she doesn't want her partner breathing on her in a hypnotizing dull monotone that might leave even the staunchest viewer yelling "shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!" at the screen. Schumer tries to blend an unbalanced quirkiness (that worked for Kristen Wiig in Welcome to Me) with a disreputable slob to no avail. It's too big of a task even for a comedian of Schumer's ability and for Aptaow who, even with his penchant for nailing the modern Comedy vibe, can't save a movie that's too wrecked from the outset.

Amy (Schumer) lives by one simple credo: "monogamy isn't realistic." It was beaten into her at an early age by her father (Colin Quinn), a man who couldn't keep his hands off other women. Two decades later, she's a magazine writer who is more than happy to go through boy toys at an alarming rate. She's trying the "boyfriend" thing with a gym rat named Steven (John Cena), but it's not working too well for her. Maybe she just hasn't met Mr. Right? When her boss (Tilda Swinton) assigns her an article on a sports surgeon named Aaron Conners (Bill Hader) -- a peculiar assignment considering she doesn't even like sports -- she finds herself face-to-face with a charming fellow who she sees both as a career stepping-stone and as another possibility in a long line of potential one night stands. But he grows fond of her, and she, even if it's just subconsciously, likewise finds herself attached to him. But can she overcome work burdens and her lifelong mantra to settle down with the most unlikely of guys?

Trainwreck just ties too hard. Nothing about the movie feels in the least bit organic. Not the characters, not the relationships, and not even most of the humor. Even the funniest bits -- which come from the sports world celebrities scattered throughout the movie -- are really one-off gags that don't contribute much meat to the movie. But then again, neither does most of the other humor. Trainwreck never quite gets the line and the delivery on the same page, and it emphasizes the line over context. The movie feels like a Schumer stand-up routine painfully expanded to over two hours and filled with needless fluff that slows it down and grates on the nerves rather than keep the viewer ensnared in a web of seamlessly strung-together laughs in a context of a more believable plot line. That Amy might find herself finally at a point that the right man can swoop her off her feet is believable within the characters' greater context, but that the world's foremost sports physician would fall head over heels for a troubled woman struggling to find herself and even maintain a presentable front isn't. This isn't Pretty Woman, and Aaron's attraction always feels more like the desperate geek who will take whatever comes his way rather than someone experiencing a real, honest, heartfelt, deeply-defined love.

Trainwreck can be quite good away from Schumer. WWE Superstar John Cena lets it all hang out -- quite literally -- in a self-deprecating performance in which he plays a body-obsessed jock of a guy who is the closest thing Amy has ever had to a "boyfriend," i.e. someone that consumes more of her time than just her time in the sack. Cena is quite funny when he deadpans a string of muscle building quips in response to Amy asking him to talk dirty to her during sex, going on about "protein" and such. But it's Cleveland Cavaliers Superstar LeBron James who really steals the show, even if his part is quite possibly the most forced in the movie. LeBron plays himself as Dr. Aaron's best friend and confidant, something that's not particularly believable and feels manufactured in order to get The King some much-deserved screen time. LeBron's frugality, pitch for Cleveland, and intervention with Marv Albert and Matthew Broderick make up the film's best moments. LeBron proves himself more than a capable actor who will hopefully show up in another movie (or three or four) where his part isn't quite so wrenched in.

Trainwreck Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Trainwreck boasts a mild golden-yellow tint that's the dominant visual cue in Universal's 1080p Blu-ray presentation. The transfer boasts a light and evenly dispersed grain structure that grants an attractive filmic veneer. Details are precise throughout. Faces and attire are both effortlessly complex while all variety of backgrounds and support elements seen in various locations -- dwellings, medical facilities, magazine offices, sports arenas -- are presented with impressive precision and attention to even the smallest detail. Colors are satisfying, influenced by that aforementioned tint, but the general palette is impressively presented within that context. Flesh tones are the most evident carrier of the film's specific coloring push. Black levels -- predominantly seen in various nighttime exteriors -- are attractively deep and absent crush. The image also appears absent of any unwanted print damage or artifacts. All in all, this is impress work from Universal.

Trainwreck Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Trainwreck's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack excels in all areas of concern. Music is presented widely and firmly. Bass-heavy beats enjoy more than enough weight. Clarity is fine across the range -- whether intensive Dance numbers or score -- and stage placement ensures all of the speakers in the five-channel configuration are utilized. Various support atmospherics impress, particularly city and office place din. A basketball court sequence in chapter 11 brings the squeaky shoes, weighty dribbles, and mildly reverberating dialogue to life. General dialogue enjoys firm center placement, precise articulation, and consistent prioritization. The track doesn't have any "wow!" moments, but it's quite good at conveying all of the film's basics and intricacies alike.

Trainwreck Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Trainwreck contains a large assortment of extra goodies, including a commentary track and plenty of deleted/extended/alternate scenes. A DVD copy of the film and a voucher for a UV/iTunes digital copy are included with purchase. Viewers may also select from two cuts of the film: the Theatrical Version (2:04:45) and the Unrated Version (2:08:46).

• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Nikki's Dream (available as V1-Plane Teeth [1:55] and V2-Japan [1:48]), Bar App (1:58), Amy Calls Kim (1:26), The Morning After (1:42), Ryan Phillippe (2:20), Percentage (3:41), Drunk Horse (8:46), Guys' Fantasy (3:16), Minivan Nightmare (0:54), Doctors With Borders (1:39), Amy Gets Grilled (2:03), Prostitute (3:02), Steven & Lorenz (4:50), Amy & Schultz (2:45), Goodbye (1:33), Happily Ever After (1:17), and Cleveland (1:12).
• Extended/Alternate Scenes (480i): Amy & Allister (1:21), S'nuff Pitches (6:53), Steven Sex (6:28), LeBron's Glasses (2:40), Breakup (6:06), The Doctor's Place (2:54), Lunch with LeBron (6:46), Baby Talk (4:44), Skeletons in the Closet (4:24), Amare's Post Op (2:24), Pleasure Chest (2:51), and Fired (1:49).
• Secrets of the Wu (1080p, 2:21): Characters discuss the Wu-Tang Clan.
• The Dogwalker (480i): The full fake film clips as seen in the movie. Included are Part 1 (2:06) and Part 2 (2:01).
• Gag Reel (1080p): Separated into two parts: Part 1 (6:37) and Part 2 (6:03).
• Line-O-Rama (1080p): Separated into two parts: Part 1 (5:18) and Steven-O-Rama (2:51).
• Directing Athletes: A Blood Sport (1080p, 9:54): The athletes who appear in the film discuss working with Judd Apatow and Apatow, in turn, discusses working with the athlete actors.
• Behind-the-Scenes (480i): A collection of behind-the-scenes featurettes that explore various little parts of and performers from the movie. Included are Amy & Family (14:33), Dance (12:12), Cena (13:49), Norman (11:58), Tilda (4:10), Athletes (7:48), S'Nuff (4:31), The Dogwalker (3:48), Horse Carriage (7:04), Rapping with Method Man (2:12), and Norman & Method Man Talk Music (7:16).
• Trainwreck Comedy Tour: Cast and crew travel to sell the movie. Included are look at stops in Boston (1080i, 2:23), Toronto (1080p, 4:22), Toronto: Judd & Colin (1080p, 5:35), Chicago (1080p, 3:53), Seattle (3:14), and Los Angeles (4:46). Also included is a radio piece: SiriusXM Town Hall: Seattle (1080p, 53:12).
• Red Band Trailer (1080p, 3:03).
• Audio Commentary: With Director Judd Apatow, Writer/Star Amy Schumer, and Associate Producer Kim Caramele.

Trainwreck Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There's a lot of talent behind Trainwreck, but it's not enough to elevate a bad idea and a disreputable, unlikable figure into a good film and lead character. Schumer is more uncomfortable to watch than she is funny, a tightrope line a movie of this nature absolute demands and, here, fails to walk. Her support cast nabs most of the best moments, but even then they're largely forced, particularly anything from LeBron James, who is too good for the movie. Worst of all, the chemistry between Hader and Schumer is zero, as is any believability that there's anything real between them, particularly on Hader's side of the equation, which comes off as more desperate for whatever he can get, even if that's a drunk, foul-mouthed, commitment-phobic train wreck of a human being. The film has good intentions and a decent enough foundation but it never manages to elevate the material beyond throwaway comedy. Universal's Blu-ray, on the other hand, is excellent, featuring top-end video and audio to go along with a wide array of extra content. The film's many fans should have no reservations about picking it up, but newcomers -- even if they're Apatow and/or Schumer fans -- should rent before buying.