Melissa McCarthy stars as Tammy in the type of role for which she has become famous. Wacky and unique, the characters are well developed with extended back histories. More along the lines of Identity Thief than the Heat, Tammy is not bad but it is not really great either.
It is more than a stretch to believe that Susan Sarandon is old enough to be Melissa McCarthy's grandma. They did a solid job with Sarandon's hair and wardrobe to age her but it was not enough to suspend one's disbelief. With Allison Janney as Tammy's mom, it seemed to shed even more light on the ages being implausible. Sarandon is only thirteen years older than Janney, Janney only eleven years older than McCarthy. The ages are so off, it almost suggests that it was done on purpose, like some kind of Bad Grandpa routine, though I am still missing why.
Opening July 2nd for the Fourth of July weekend, in its five days in release, Tammy has made 33 million dollars, 21 million of it just during the weekend. Released almost exactly a year apart, the Heat made 39 million in its opening weekend last summer. That is not a huge difference considering the Heat also starred Sandra Bullock. Even with mediocre reviews, Tammy has already made millions more than its budget.
Tammy was written by McCarthy and her husband, Ben Falcone, who also directed. Falcone often cameos in McCarthy's films, most memorably in Bridesmaids and also in the Heat and Identity Thief. Will Ferrell and Adam McKay also produced.
You will not have to rewatch this movie to catch the dialogue that you laughed over, my desired experience in a comedy, but it is not a bad flick either. The extended cast is peppered with recognizable faces and does have a certain charm.
