"Bad Moms," starring Mila Kunis ("Ted"), is a new comedy that takes a humorous look at the ups and downs of being a busy mom in today's society. Written and directed by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore — the screenwriting team that brought audiences "The Hangover" and its sequels — "Bad Moms" is an entertaining combination of comic absurdity and sympathetic authenticity.
Kunis plays Amy, an overworked and underappreciated mom who balances her career with taking constant care of a house, two kids, and an inconsiderate husband. Amy eventually reaches her breaking point and decides to stop trying to be the "perfect mom," realizing there is no such thing as it is impossible to live up to the unrealistic expectations placed on her by others.
Amy soon ends up commiserating at a bar with socially awkward stay-at-home mom Kiki (Kristen Bell, "Veronica Mars") and hard-partying single mom Carla (Kathryn Hahn, "Captain Fantastic"). Together, the three make a pact to reject all of the unappreciative people in their lives and instead indulge in some fun and spontaneity for once. The women's new-found freedom soon brings them into conflict with the snobby, judgmental and influential head of the local PTA (Christina Applegate, "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy") and her cronies (Jada Pinkett Smith and Annie Mumolo).
"Bad Moms" is lively and upbeat, with the combination of raunchy "suburbanites gone wild" situational humor and sharply drawn characters you'd expect from the writers of "The Hangover." Kunis as Amy is a funny, loving, struggling-but-determined hot mess. Amy wrestles with the many diverse and sometimes contrary roles expected of women and mothers in our culture, and Kunis is equally deft at playing it fabulous or frustrated.
Hahn nearly steals the whole show as Carla, getting the most outrageously funny lines and hilariously throwing gas on the film's more fiery moments. Bell's Kiki is a great foil for both Amy and Carla, playing naive and forthright to the hilt while showing some surprising talent for slapstick comedy. Applegate rounds out a strong cast as Gwendolyn, the prototypical "perfect" PTA mom.
Although it certainly has moments of over-the-top absurdity that would make Seth Rogen or Judd Apatow proud, "Bad Moms" shines as a comedy because at its core it addresses everyday struggles with equal parts humor and empathy. The characters in this film are represented of the mothers, sisters, friends and coworkers all around us. There is something about each of the characters that we can all relate to, and it is easy to root for them as they push back and fight for the respect they're due. "Bad Moms" reminds us that nobody's perfect, and that we should laugh at the notion of anyone who thinks they are.
3.5 Yaps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKCw-kqo3cs&w=585