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At this time of year, graduates everywhere are donning their caps and gowns and throwing parties to celebrate their accomplishments. And in the college comedy Life of the Party, a middle-aged woman goes back to school to try achieve what she missed out on two decades ago.
Life of the Party stars Melissa McCarthy as Deanna, a 40-something housewife whose husband announces that he’s leaving her for another woman. After she recovers from the initial shock, Deanna decides that it’s time to get her life back—and she plans to start by finishing her degree. That means returning to the school she attended decades ago, where her daughter, Maddie (Molly Gordon), is also a senior. And as she makes the transition into her new life, she ends up making new friends and embarking on new adventures.
In general, Melissa McCarthy is known for her wild and crazy (and often obnoxious) comedies. For Life of the Party, though, she tones down the usual shtick. She isn’t a loud and totally clueless woman who makes a nuisance of herself on campus. Instead, she’s just a mom: sweet and well-meaning and a little bit naïve, just trying to make the best of a painful situation. She’s a surprisingly endearing character—much more lovable than McCarthy’s typical character.
Everything here is toned down from McCarthy’s usual comedy. The character is more restrained—and so are the laughs. Deanna’s experiences on campus lead to plenty of awkward moments—some of which turn cringe-worthy—but the humor isn’t as over-the-top as audiences might expect. It’s more about the characters and their experiences than the wild comedic moments. While it’s still good for some laughs, it’s not particularly hilarious.
Meanwhile, there’s really not much conflict here. Deanna doesn’t really mope or drown her sorrows or go crazy over her husband’s decision. When she gets to school, Maddie isn’t exactly thrilled about having her mother around, but her friends embrace it, and it’s not long before Maddie does, too. There are parties and hook-ups, a frat house makeover, and some mean-girl drama, too—but nothing really turns into anything substantial. And it feels more like a series of random college experiences than a real story.
Life of the Party definitely isn’t the typical Melissa McCarthy movie. It isn’t as wild and crazy—but it isn’t as obnoxious, either. I can definitely appreciate the fact that she attempted to change up her usual formulas—but while the result is sometimes cute and playful, it’s also a little bit bland, and it’s entirely forgettable.
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