Melissa McCarthy won a legion of fans with her portrayal of lovable, quirky chef Sookie St James in the 'Gilmore Girls’.
Since then, fans have had the chance to see far more of McCarthy’s comedic talents, with roles on and off the screen developing a host of popular movies. McCarthy is the star of, and one of the scriptwriters behind ‘The Boss’, a riches to rags to riches tale of the downfall and potential return to power of financial mogul Michelle Darnell.
Ratted out for insider trading by an old flame and business rival, Darnell hopes her case will run the way of Martha Stewart’s: she’ll do some minor time, then go home and get back to work, forgiven by the adoring masses. The problem is that she’s not America’s sweetheart, at least, not in the way Martha was.
With her ex, Renault (played by ‘Game Of Thrones’ favourite Peter Dinklage), not quite done with his attempt at vengeance, Darnell’s only hope of redemption lies in the assistant she never appreciated. Kristen Bell plays Claire, a single mum struggling to raise her daughter and somehow keep her high-maintenance boss on track.
When Darnell is jailed, Claire is forced to take the first job she can find, no matter how much she hates it. Bell plays the long-suffering optimist well, and it’s fun to watch her struggle to keep order in the chaos of life with Darnell.
Dinklage’s character, Renault, is an oddity. An American born who rebranded himself with a French car-brand name, and who self-identifies as a samurai, he’s a rather cartoonish villain even by comedic standards. Renault serves as an occasionally baffling plot-forwarding device, around more for cheap laughs and to create misunderstandings than for any real character development. Having said that, it’s hard not to enjoy Dinklage’s performance, even if only for the dodgy hairstyles.
‘The Boss’ is your typical odd couple movie: larger than life Darnell against the straight laced, maternal Claire. It’s vulgar and ridiculous, and certainly not a movie requiring deep contemplation. It’s fun. And yet, beneath the surface of the crass humour and over-the-top adventures, there’s a really interesting conversation around the value of personas in celebrity.
Both Renault and Darnell are masters of rebranding, recreating themselves in the name of getting what they want. Yet, unlike evil bosses such as ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ icon Miranda Priestly, Darnell is an ultimately likeable character who seems to want to help others. She’s protective, if misguided, and even as her new venture is designed to see her back on the rich-lists, it’s also designed to empower children.
It’s hard not to love the quick-witted, vulgar businesswoman, even as she sets about teaching her new charges about the darker side of the business world.
‘The Boss’ isn’t the movie to go see if you’re looking for an on-screen deep and meaningful, but if you’re looking for some laughs after a bad day, it’s a great way to spend an afternoon.
★★★1/2
'The Boss' is screening nationally.
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