Just got done watching a little satire, Marcy X, with Lisa Kudrow and Daman Wayans headlining. Certainly not a blockbuster, but still a hoot.
I was flipping through some channels on cable while waiting for the wife to get ready to go do some shopping. A rapping Lisa Kudrow caught my eye, and while the rap wasn't anything spectacular, it was still kinda funny. I hit the record button on the DVR and figured I could dump it later if it stunk. Since the television shows are having spasmodic schedules, our DVR is low on evening time-absorbing escapism.
The movie moves along in spurts and hesitations, banging wildly against un-PC stereotypes and occasional idiocy, but does so in a manner that is obviously trying to be humorous, not malicious. With that grain of caveat emptor, we took the movie at its face value.
A pampered socialite Marcy (Kudrow) compels herself to help her father who falls ill at the news that one of his subsidiaries owns a record label that is releasing an offensive album by "Dr S." (Wayans). Kudrow wants to convince Wayans that he should apologize for his album, perhaps making it a little friendlier. During the culture and class clashes that ensue, they fall for each other (at comedy speed, not with drama depth).
The things that make this movie enjoyable is the slight Romeo and Juliet romance, and the background asides by the supporting cast. In particular, Kudrow is followed by a trio of similarly social-ete women who fall into place right behind her in the chase for correcting this social injustice.
The movie does labor a bit over a mock congressional hearing over musical decency, flails a little over some girlfriend rivalries, and ultimately ends up being just a chain of gags. There's a funny scene mocking formulaic boy bands, and another almost embarrassing scene where the white girls show their cultural diversity putting on a dance performance at the hip-hop club. The rest is largely a smattering of, well, culture clashes. And it's a comedy, so it's got a nice, tidy, happy ending, and another rap song performed by Kudrow and cast during the closing credits.
I wouldn't really recommend seeking the movie out, but if your Netflix list is getting lean, or you happen upon it on IFC, as I did, give it a little while. Don't watch it too critically, but take it for the light humor it evidently attempts and comes close.
