The 5 best Melissa McCarthy films to binge-watch, in honor of 'Happy Time Murders'
If you combined Quentin Tarantino and "Sesame Street," the result would look similar to "The Happytime Murders." The R-rated comedy teams Melissa McCarthy with a puppet partner in a world where humans co-exist with characters that look like they popped from the brain of Jim Henson. (The film is directed by his son Brian Henson.)
Such a task would be tough for any actress, but McCarthy's made a comedy career out of unconventional pairings. To prepare for the film, here are five movies where McCarthy stole the show.
If you want an ensemble: 'Bridesmaids'
In this 2011 raunchy comedy, just about everything – from a bachelorette party to trying on wedding dresses – goes nightmarishly wrong on the way to say “I Do.” Besides the drunk antics and profanity, there is a surprising amount of heart in the film’s examination of friendships and how they change. Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph may have been the stars, but it was McCarthy’s movie stealing turn as Megan Price that would catapult her to movie stardom, and garnered her an Oscar nomination.
If you want a buddy-cop film: 'The Heat'
The buddy-cop movie popularized by “Lethal Weapon” has been a staple of cinemas, but there have been very few female buddy-cop films. All that changes with “The Heat,” which unites McCarthy’s foul-mouthed detective with Sandra Bullock’s straitlaced FBI agent. What follows is a comedy of clashing personalities where the two spend just as much time getting on each other’s nerves as trying to stop a drug dealer in Boston. The jokes and improvisation come fast, making it the definite film for McCarthy’s brand of comedy.
If you like spy thrillers: 'Spy'
Spy films are all the rage these days whether it is “Mission: Impossible,” “James Bond” or the “Bourne” series, but not since “Austin Powers” has the genre been so successfully lampooned as it was in "Spy." Toeing the line between genuine action film and spoof, “Spy” pushes McCarthy’s CIA analyst Susan Cooper into the world of espionage where she’s surprising adept at holding her own. Action-hero Jason Statham plays an exaggerated Bourne archetype who always wants to, and never manages to, save the day, and Jude Law proves he should have been James Bond in another life.
If you liked 'Arrested Development': 'Identity Thief'
In "Identity Thief," McCarthy hones the rapid fire delivery that would become a staple of her career, and when her wit fails, she’s more than happy to lead with a throat punch as she makes her get-away. McCarthy meets her match in Jason Bateman, playing an exasperated man who tracks her down to clear his name after she steals his identity. What follows is a cat-and-mouse game where each is trying to outsmart the other, and two enemies slowly become begrudging friends.
If you want a comedy-drama: 'Tammy'
For the most part, “Tammy” is a lower budget affair, more content to sketch character than offer the high energy laughs of McCarthy’s other work. Sure, there’s a robbery where McCarthy wears a bag over her head and says something funny, but for the most part, there’s a bruised heart throughout. Tammy, both the character and the film, is meandering. It captures the boredom of drifting aimlessly, and like Tammy trying to improve her life, McCarthy’s comedy is a welcomed respite to her surroundings.
