“Snatched” marks Amy Schumer’s highly-anticipated follow-up to “Trainwreck” and Goldie Hawn’s return to the big screen after 15 years, but critics are disappointed with the mother-daughter comedy.
Among the flaws cited are Hawn’s “half-committed performance” in which she isn’t able “to inhabit her stature as a great comedic performer,” as well as the “predictable” mother-daughter relationship and Schumer’s jokes that are derived from booze, food and sex — similar to her jokes in “Trainwreck.”
The film, directed by Jonathan Levine and written by Katie Dippold, also stars Ike Barinholtz, Wanda Sykes and Joan Cusack. Currently, it holds a score of 38 percent on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. It hits theaters Friday.
“What we’ve gotten in ‘Snatched” is an uninspired, scattershot disaster romp that mostly serves the talents of one half of the marquee pairing, underuses the other half, and struggles to blend R-rated humor, foreign misadventure, and oil-and-water mother-daughter dynamic into a cohesive diversion,” wrote TheWrap’s film critic Robert Abele. “There are plenty of worse comedies out there, but ‘Snatched’ has that vexing air of disappointment to it.”
“‘Snatched’ has its fair share of laughs, but the film’s attempts at sustaining a legitimate emotional underpinning throughout are unsuccessful, thanks to a lackluster turn from Schumer, and some tiresome writing all across the board. It’s one of the first summer films this year worth skipping,” added IGN’s Alex Welch.
“‘Trainwreck’ was the perfect introduction to Amy Schumer‘s talents, striding the line between saucy, sweet and spill-your-popcorn funny. But with her second major film role, Schumer needed to show her range – can she play anything other than a directionless, oversexed thirtysomething who drinks too much but learns a few valuable life lessons before the credits roll? On this evidence, um, no … What follows is a series of aimless, goofy hijinks, as the pair hamfistedly escape only to bicker their way across the Amazon jungle. A few of the gags hit home – Schumer’s flawless timing makes the best of some creaky one-liners. Her blend of glee and horror when she inadvertently murders one of their captors hints at the sharper, more interesting film that might’ve been. But too much of the humour derives from Emily’s insatiable appetite for booze, food and sex, while the central mother-daughter relationship is predictable. Goldie Hawn broke a self-imposed 15-year retirement for this – she must be missing her armchair now.”
“The laughs don’t come, especially those that pivot on that multivalent word for the punch line: In a scene that signals the soft racism to follow, Linda mishears the standard English greeting of the Ecuadorian concierge, handing out a complimentary drink, as ‘whale cum.’ ‘Snatched’ is Hawn’s first movie since 2002’s ‘The Banger Sisters.’ Her half-committed performance here, however understandable, suggests she may have regretted the decision to end her semi-retirement.”
“‘Snatched’is what happens if you come up with a super-high-concept idea–Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn are a daughter and mother kidnapped in a foreign country!–and then stopped, pretty much cold, right there. The movie stretches and crawls and creaks its way barely past the 90-minute mark, gasping and coughing all the way … The movie doesn’t care and doesn’t expect us to. It has no propulsive energy, no overarching point to make, and no reason to exist outside of its own basic concept. It doesn’t even do much to mock these pampered Americans who tromp around the world like they own it and then scream for help when they step one pace outside their comfort zone. They are meant to be the rooting interest, and the Ecuadorian culture is just a place for them to learn and love and laugh. The movie doesn’t seem to have taken a second pass at anything.”
“Though this movie ostensibly celebrates the spirit of adventure and openness to experience, it takes no risks and blazes no trails. It’s ultimately as complacent, self-absorbed and clueless as its heroine, and not always in an especially amusing way.”
“Just as the comedic tension doesn’t escalate, ‘Snatched’ falters while trying to explore Emily and Linda’s relationship. Essentially, Emily has to learn to stop being self-centered and Linda needs to take chances. The characters’ emotional progression is so rudimentary — and, more frustratingly, not very funny — that it slows down the movie’s momentum. As a result, ‘Snatched’ relies too much on its actresses’ rapport to make us care about fundamentally dull people in a mildly hair-raising scenario.”
“Imagine you’re at a large party when an old friend comes up to you and starts telling a funny story. It starts off promisingly — then quickly meanders. You soon begin to suspect your pal is several drinks ahead. But you fix a smile on your face, and wait, tolerantly, hopefully, for them to finish. That’s pretty much how I watched ‘Snatched.'”
“‘Snatched’ has its fair share of laughs, but the film’s attempts at sustaining a legitimate emotional underpinning throughout are unsuccessful, thanks to a lackluster turn from Schumer, and some tiresome writing all across the board. It’s one of the first summer films this year worth skipping.”
“On paper, it’s easy to see why a studio couldn’t resist the pairing of Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn in a comedy. And then having them play mother and daughter and tying the movie to Mother’s Day — that just seems like a can’t-miss opportunity. But, sadly, you are going to be disappointed with ‘Snatched.’ The movie, opening Friday, has such a dull and unoriginal story that even two comedy pros like Schumer and Hawn can’t salvage it.”
“Lauded actress and boundary-busting comedian Goldie Hawn hasn’t appeared in a film in over a decade, let alone starred in one, so her return to the big screen should be considered a very big deal. Too bad that the Oscar-winning actress’ first project in 15 years isn’t just a misfire, but one that commits the unforgivable sin of not allowing Hawn to inhabit her stature as a great comedic performer. Jonathan Levine’s ‘Snatched’ has bigger problems than just that one, but the decision to cast Hawn as a worrywart mother saddled with a woefully immature daughter (Amy Schumer) on a trip from hell is indicative of many of this limp action-comedy’s biggest sins. And there are so many.”
15 Stars Who Fought Back Against Body Shaming, From Chrissy Metz to Vin Diesel (Photos)
Chrissy Metz, Vin Diesel and Jennifer Lawrence have spoken out against body shaming in the past
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Chrissy Metz
“This Is Us” star Chrissy Metz talked back to body shamers over a latex dress she wore to the MTV Movie & TV Awards in 2017.
"For the record, I wear what I want, when I want. News flash it's MY body. #thankstho," she tweeted.
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Amy Schumer
The comedian hasn't been shy about her body, but last year she posted a swimsuit picture on Instagram in an effort to bait and then lambaste body shamers.
This came a month after Schumer called out Glamour magazine for featuring her in its “Chic at Any Size” special issue.
“Plus size is considered size 16 in America,” Schumer wrote on Instagram. “I go between a size 6 and an 8."
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Daisy Ridley
Last March, an Instagram user posted a photo of Ridley as Rey with a speech bubble that read “I can’t believe the unrealistic expectations I’m setting for young girls. Who cast me anyway? Don’t they know that real women have curves?”
Ridley responded to the troll with a screen grab of their original post and comment that said, “‘Real women’ are all shapes and sizes, all ethnicities, all levels of brave, have families, don’t have families. I am a ‘real women’ like every other woman in this world.”
She struck back at her body shamers with a message of personal acceptance.
“I heard my body is a topic of conversation so I wanted to say, I’m proud of my body and you should be proud of yours too,” Gaga wrote on Instagram. “No matter who you are or what you do. I could give you a million reasons why you don’t need to cater to anyone or anything to succeed. Be you, and be relentlessly you. That’s the stuff of champions. thank you so much everyone for supporting me. I love you guys. Xoxo, gaga.”
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Vin Diesel
After photos surfaced of Vin Diesel with a “softer” physique than fans are used to, the actor said, “I do think it’s wrong to body shame. Trolls on the Internet — there are all kinds of atrocities they commit on the Internet.”
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Emma Thompson
In an interview on Swedish talk show “Skavlan,” Thompson spoke out against Hollywood for triggering anorexic behavior in actors. “The anorexia … there are so many kids, girls and boys now, and actresses who are very, very thin that are into their 30’s and simply don’t eat. They don’t eat,” she said.
She then said she defended one actress on set when she was told to lose weight.
“I said to them, ‘If you speak to her about this again, on any level, I will leave this picture, you are never to do that.'”
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Demi Lovato
In an interview with Glamour last year, the singer said, "If somebody calls me fat, even in a vulnerable moment, I laugh to myself and think, I’m doing everything I can, so there’s nothing I can do about it.
"I don’t have a six-pack. Maybe I don’t even want a six-pack. It doesn’t sound very appealing."
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J.K. Rowling
According to Allure, Rowling posted a photo of her standing alongside Serena Williams when someone commented that Williams was "built like a man." But being the legend that Rowling is, she posted a photo of Williams rocking a form-fitting red dress with the caption, "Yeah, my husband looks just like this in a dress. You're an idiot."
"I firmly believe that nothing really affects you or can really bother you if you don't already feel that way about yourself. I've seen a lot of comments that say, 'Eat a sandwich' or 'She looks sick.' I've been looking at myself in the mirror being mean to myself. I'm not sick. I eat sandwiches," she says. "There is in no way is it my intention to be a bad example. That has been kind of bothering me lately. I've shamed myself for it. We shame each other online. We're always too skinny or too fat or too tall or too short. They're just confirming this feeling I have about myself. I'm trying to figure my body out. It bothers me because I care so much about young girls. We're shaming each other and we're shaming ourselves, and it sucks."
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Kim Kardashian West
When people made fun of the weight she gained during her pregnancy, she fired back on Twitter.
"Anyone who has had a baby knows how hard it is to lose weight...your body totally changes! Making fun of me pregnant and making fun of me trying to lose weight now, shame on you. I'm not perfect but I will never conform to your skinny standards sorry!"
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Lauren Ash
A little over a year ago, the "Superstore" actress posted a post-workout selfie to put body shamers to rest.
"Just a friendly reminder that size 12 women workout," she wrote. "We're not disgusting and lazy just because we aren't a size 0. (And hey, if someone chooses to be lazy it's really also no one's else's business.) #effyourbeautystandards #bodypositivity #honormycurves #celebratemysize #daretowear"
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Sascha Pieterse
When the "Pretty Little Liars" actress noticed some comments about her fluctuating body, she took to Instagram to write, "As a lot of you have noticed my body has gone through some changes, and I want to clear the air and give you an explanation. I have been facing a bad hormone imbalance that has thrown my body completely out of whack. I want to assure you that I'm healthy and getting everything back on track! A big thanks to all of you who have been in my corner! We live in such a judge mental society that puts every kind of flaw, including weight gain, in the same category. And for those of you who are struggling with any health problem, hormone imbalance, and weight gain of any sort I urge and encourage you to please deal with it in a healthy manor. YOU and YOUR health are what matters, not anyone else's opinions and assumptions of you. Getting healthy isn't just about working out and eating right (however extremely important) it's also about surrounding yourself with those who care about you and want to see you succeed and become the best you can be."
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Alyssa Milano
When Jay Mohr made fun of Alyssa Milano's body for her baby weight, Milano tweeted, "So sorry you felt the need to publicly fat-shame me. Be well and God Bless. Please send my love to your beautiful wife."
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Jennifer Lawrence
In an 2014 interview with Harper's Bazaar, Lawrence recounted a moment she was told that she would be fired if she didn't lose weight.
"I know it'll never happen to me again. If anybody even tries to whisper the word 'diet,' I'm like, 'You can go f--- yourself.'"
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Sam Smith
In 2015, Howard Stern called Sam Smith a "fat ugly motherf----." Smith's response? "Can't believe what I've just read. Ignore."
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Amy Schumer, Jennifer Lawrence and Sam Smith have also clapped back at trolls
Chrissy Metz, Vin Diesel and Jennifer Lawrence have spoken out against body shaming in the past