Decent mystery, a little silly for something so big budget and not as stimulating as other Feig-fare while still pretty solidly entertaining for 2 hours - but it certainly cannot be described as a comedy, and that's largely down to casting.
Henry Golding is a classy actor, but the script clearly read 'English professor from England' and went for star power over someone with any resemblance of timing. It seems to be 'a thing' for Feig, with Chris O'Dowd providing a similar role in Bridesmaids - but O'Dowd is a proven comic actor whereas I honestly can't recall Henry Golding being remotely funny in anything I've ever seen. Handsome men, particularly handsome ENGLISH men, seldom tend to be - they take themselves too seriously.
I fear he was given a lot of the punchier comedic lines while Kendrick & Lively brilliantly helmed the bulk of the plot, but Golding just doesn't have the chops - so they all fell slightly embarrassingly flat.
That ruined it for me, unfortunately - I'm glad it gave it a go but I'd never watch it again. Feels like a slightly fluffed opportunity.
Henry Golding is a classy actor, but the script clearly read 'English professor from England' and went for star power over someone with any resemblance of timing. It seems to be 'a thing' for Feig, with Chris O'Dowd providing a similar role in Bridesmaids - but O'Dowd is a proven comic actor whereas I honestly can't recall Henry Golding being remotely funny in anything I've ever seen. Handsome men, particularly handsome ENGLISH men, seldom tend to be - they take themselves too seriously.
I fear he was given a lot of the punchier comedic lines while Kendrick & Lively brilliantly helmed the bulk of the plot, but Golding just doesn't have the chops - so they all fell slightly embarrassingly flat.
That ruined it for me, unfortunately - I'm glad it gave it a go but I'd never watch it again. Feels like a slightly fluffed opportunity.
