A Warner Bros. Pictures presentation of a Code Entertainment production. Produced by Larry Kennar, Rick Berg. Executive producers, Mike Rachmil, Ryan Shiraki, Rachel Dratch. Directed, written by Ryan Shiraki from a story by Rachel Dratch, Shiraki.
With: Amy Poehler, Parker Posey, Rachel Dratch, Amber Tamblyn, Seth Myers, Sophie Monk, Jonathan Sadowski, Missi Pyle, Jane Lynch.
A party-boatload of comedic talent is fairly wasted on energetic but uninspired "Spring Breakdown." More reprise than parody of lame '80s teen sex comedies, it's as barn-door broad as the concept: Three nerdy thirtysomething women get the chance to make over their wallflower college experiences at a latter-day spring-break hotspot. Roster of familiar faces from "Saturday Night Live" and elsewhere should buy brief theatrical traction before greater cable popularity. But this cast could have better risen to the occasion if the script were sharper than that afforded by director Ryan Shiraki, co-conceived with thesp Rachel Dratch.
After a flashback to their mortifying senior year, we catch up with the central trio 15 years later, conjoined in unhipness and lack of romantic prospects. Judi (Dratch) does have a fiancee (Seth Meyers), but everyone else has noticed he's gay. Gayle (Amy Poehler) is a guide dog trainer, and Becky (Parker Posey), an office manager for an overbearing Texas senator (Jane Lynch).
When the senator is tipped as the next U.S. vice president, Becky is dispatched to the sunny resort South Padre to make sure the senator's collegiate daughter Ashley (Amber Tamblyn) doesn't do anything too scandalous. Gayle and Judi tag along, hoping to finally cut loose like the sorority girls who mocked them back when.
Turns out Ashley's wild girl image is just that -- fabricated to please her former-Miss Texas mom. In fact she's just as dweeby as the older women, has her own geek-girl posse, and traveled here only to try to win back the jerk b.f. (Jonathan Sadowski) who dumped her for classic blonde airhead Mason (Sophie Monk).
Mason leads "The 7's" -- seven tanned airheads -- who take a surprising shine to Gayle and turn her into the bimbo she never knew she wanted to be. Meanwhile, Judi discovers lots and lots alcohol, then convinces herself she's bedded a hunk half her age.
Only prim, politically correct Becky resists temptation, hiding her real mission while encouraging Ashley & Co. to "be themselves," far from trouble. But this strategy soon backfires.
There are funny lines scattered about, and the pacey pic has an aptly cheesy look dominated by the neon hues of tropical drinks and thong wear. But the situations offer no real satiric finesse on familiar genre tropes -- wet T-shirt contest, drunken puke-outs, a climactic talent show triumph -- and the rote girl-power message rings unironically hollow.
Poehler comes off best among co-stars, while Missi Pyle scores a few laughs as a spring-break lifer. But you know the material is seriously unworthy when folks like Posey, Lynch and others here can't raise more than the odd half-chuckle.
Tech/design aspects won't lose anything on the smallscreen.
Camera (color), Frank G. DeMarco; editors, David Codron, Tom Lewis; music, Deborah Lurie; production designer, Caty Maxy; art director, Denise Hudson; set decorator, Sandy Struth; sound mixer (Dolby Digital/DTS/SDDS), David Ronne; sound designer, Scott Sanders; music supervisor, Julia Michaels; assistant director, Michael Viglietta; casting, Roger Mussenden. Reviewed at Sundance Film Festival (Park City at Midnight), Jan. 17, 2009. Running time: 84 MIN.
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