Review: Breaking news from yuba county (hollywood)

Producers: Jake Gyllenhaal, Tate Taylor, Franklin Leonard, John Norris, Riva Marker

Director-Tate Taylor

Star Cast-Janney,Mila Kunis,Allison Janney,Wanda Sykes, Awkwafina, Juliet Lewis, Ellen Barkin, Chris Lowell. Jimmi Simpson and Matthew Modine

Genre- Thriller

Mindlessly Delirious!

Rating- *** (Three)

Jyothi Venkatesh

Sue Buttons (Allison Janney) a suburban mundane housewife decides to spin her missing husband's story, but it goes a bit too far

Just because both her husband Karl (Matthew Modine) and sister Nancy (Mila Kunis), forget her birthday, when her husband dies, Sue decides to get her 15 minutes of fame with local news personality Gloria Michaels (Juliette Lewis).

What Sue Buttons is not all aware that her husband Karl has been up to no good, and some goons like Mina (Awkwafina), are gunning after him.

When the yarn spins out of her control, Sue finds herself in a predicament and hence in a quandary

There re unfortunately far too many characters who pop in and out of the film at regular intervals like Karl’s brother Petey (Jimmi Simpson) and Rita (Wanda Sykes) who owns the store Petey works at, that we get flummoxed and do not know who the hell they are.

Unfortunately, in spite of a very incredible cast, this decent dark comedy which sets out to link some social commentary about the unhealthy obsession with media attention leaves a lot to be desired.

Janney is a marvel since she wordlessly communicates in her complex role as Sue Buttons, who is caught-in-the-headlights calculations each time someone questions the gaps in her story.

She comes alive by lying and manipulating, and also thrives in the warmth of all the media concern, and in the process becomes a self-satisfied monster, obsessed with the idea of having and telling stories.

Wanda Sykes as Petey's furniture-store boss, Ellen Barkin as her girlfriend are more than adequate, while Awkwafina fits her part as the menacing gangster to the.

There is also a feeble attempt by the director to make random and unconvincing characters ring true (Samira Wiley as Petey's pregnant-with-twins partner).

The Mississippi-shot feature maintains a distinctly Southern sensibility even though it's supposed to be set in a quiet corner of inland California; Taylor (The Help, Get on Up, Ma) nabs the story's small-town vibe.

On the other hand, on the flip side, to give the devil its due, if you are looking for an over-the-top comedy in order to forget about all the serious insanity going on, this mindless blend of murder, blackmail and comedy also has something mindlessly delirious you'd very happily take on.