The main problem with Trainwreck is that it isn’t that funny for a romantic comedy. That doesn’t mean it has fewer laughs than expected because it’s a surprisingly emotional film, because it isn’t. Trainwreck walks the line between a good film and a bad film admirably, leaning towards the good end of the spectrum. However, there’s nothing more infuriating than a film which is merely “good”, “nice” or “alright”.

Amy Schumer plays a fictionalised version of herself. Unfortunately, her character is very much what people think Amy Schumer is like before they understand her brand of comic humour. They initially judge her on her crass, loud, potentially very annoying style, without seeing the wry wit and satirical humour behind it. Her character in this film, however, is not likeable at all until too late in the film - but it doesn’t work as redemption, or anything like it. I personally like Amy Schumer’s work as a comic in her skit formats, interviews or stand-up. This film does not showcase Amy’s talent at comedy the way it should.

The cast is excellent, in particular Bill Hader, Brie Larson and Ezra Miller. Ezra is on track to stun the world with the right performance in the right movie - when, I don’t know. After seeing Bill Hader's fantastic performance in The Skeleton Twins (good movie, but without a clear vision), he has suddenly become a serious actor in my eyes. In this film, he plays an "alright" character, but puts great commitment into the minutiae of his role. Brie Larson is, as always, as captivating as the most promising and impressive actress of the younger generation deserves to be.

Cameos are thrown into the film from left and right, from an out-of-place supposed-to-be-funny fake movie starring Daniel Radcliffe and Marisa Tomei, to surprisingly good comic performances from basketball stars LeBron James and Amar'e Stoudemire. This highlights the main problem of the movie: when basketball stars are producing the highest screen time : laughs ratio, there is something wrong with the bigger picture.

There are laughs in this film, such as the over-the-top homoerotic insults John Cena blurts out, as well as Amy’s gag on the unrealistic sleeping positions that we see so often in films. The problem might be in the too good to be true pairing of Amy Schumer and Judd Apatow - each a comedy writer with their own style, happily collaborating but failing to realise one needs to be in control over the other or else the whole film feels off.

Image Credit: Universal Pictures; Cinedigm; Roadside Attractions