Trainwreck (2015)

Movie · 2015 · Comedy, Romance · 2h 5m · R · English

Curator score: 2.0/10 (289.9K ratings)

We all know one.

Overview

Ever since her father drilled into her head that monogamy isn't realistic, magazine writer Amy has made promiscuity her credo. As much as she enjoys an uninhibited life free of commitment, Amy is really in a rut. While writing a profile about charming and successful sports doctor Aaron Conners, she finds herself actually falling in love for the first time -- and what's more, Aaron seems to really like her too. Amy starts to wonder if it's time to clean up her act and face her fears.

Ratings

Director

Judd Apatow

Production

Apatow Productions, Universal Pictures

Cast

Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Brie Larson, LeBron James, Colin Quinn, Mike Birbiglia, Evan Brinkman, John Cena, Tilda Swinton, Vanessa Bayer, Ezra Miller, Randall Park, Jon Glaser, Amar'e Stoudemire, Dave Attell, Norman Lloyd, Method Man, Claudia O'Doherty, Bridget Everett, Nikki Glaser

Where to watch

Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads

Curator Review

Verdict

A breezy, often funny romantic comedy with a sharper-than-average lead performance and a few memorable supporting turns, but it’s uneven and overly long. The movie works best when it leans into awkward honesty and character-specific humor; it drags when the improvisational sprawl takes over.

Best for

  • Viewers who like messy, self-sabotaging romantic comedies
  • Fans of Judd Apatow’s loose, semi-improvised style
  • People looking for a star-driven comedy with some emotional sincerity
  • Audiences who enjoy raunchy humor mixed with relationship angst

Skip if

  • You want tightly structured comedies with consistent pacing
  • You dislike improv-heavy humor and cameo clutter
  • You prefer romance stories that are more polished or sentimental
  • You’re not in the mood for a long, shaggy comedy

Overview

Trainwreck is a very 2015 kind of studio comedy: self-aware, raunchy, emotionally vulnerable, and a little too in love with its own looseness. Its best scenes have real bite, especially when the film lets the lead character’s defenses crack and the comedy comes from embarrassment rather than punchlines.

Worth noting

The movie’s biggest asset is chemistry and timing, with a central performance that keeps the character from becoming a generic rom-com mess. There are also a few standout supporting appearances that briefly jolt the film to life. But the runtime feels inflated, and the improvisational style can make the whole thing feel like it’s wandering in search of a stronger shape.

Bottom line

As a romance, it’s more interesting than sweet, and as a comedy, it’s hit-or-miss. If you like your romantic comedies messy, candid, and a little self-destructive, it has enough charm to recommend. If you want something cleaner and sharper, it may feel like a long detour.

Top Letterboxd reviews

matt lynch (3★) · 2367 likes

I believe it was Howard Hawks who said "A good movie is a handful of reasonably funny scenes and like eight garbage improv-y momentum-killing ones, and a bunch of cameos, whatever, I don't know."

cinéfila... 🕯️ (2★) · 2171 likes

i really watched an amy schumer/judd apatow movie for bill hader. no man should have this kind of influence on me and yet here we are

sophie (1.5★) · 1576 likes

bill hader this one was for you

barbora (2.5★) · 1143 likes

i feel like 90% of people watched this only for bill hader and i am no exception

Eli Hayes (3.5★) · 567 likes

Yes, this was very funny, but how hard am I supposed to be capable of laughing during a film featuring Tilda Swinton alongside Ezra Miller? I was having incessant We Need to Talk About Kevin flashbacks.

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Topics

romantic comedy, raunchy humor, messy relationships, dating culture, self-sabotage, improvisational comedy, 2010s comedy, workplace satire, emotional vulnerability, ensemble cameos

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