Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass review by Bobby Blakey
Director David Wain knows how to bring the laughs with classic comedies such as Wet Hot American Summer and Role Models. His latest film has him reteaming with co-writer Ken Marino for Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass. The film stars Zoey Deutch, John Slattery, Ken Marino, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Ben Wang, Joe Lo Truglio, and Sabrina Impacciatore, but does it bring the expected fun and laughs or is it not a sex pass worth cashing in?
Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass follow the charming town of Willowbrook, Kansas, where hairdresser Gail Daughtry is engaged to her devoted high school sweetheart, Tom. Her life takes a turn when a trip to a book signing leads to Tom meeting – and sleeping – with his "celebrity pass." Reeling from the betrayal, Gail impulsively joins her friend Otto on a trip to Los Angeles, where a psychic convinces Gail that the only way to save her marriage is to "even the scales" with her own celebrity pass: Jon Hamm. Thus begins an epic journey through Tinseltown as Gail and Otto join forces with a talent agency assistant, a paparazzo, and actor John Slattery, all in the search for Hamm. Along the way, they collide with celebrities and are hunted by a group of Italian assassins as they get ever closer to finding the elusive star.
Wain’s films tend to follow a familiar formula that always work, but not always for every viewer. I for one have loved everything he has done, and this film is no different. I had zero interest in this film before realizing he was behind the camera and so glad I gave it a shot as it is a comedy gem. It’s not breaking down the walls of the genre, but it knows its audience and goes all in on the fun and silliness.
The story is exactly what you expect and sets up so many great fun moments, but it’s the big variety of cameos that make it all work. We are fully injected into
Hollywood and have some great surprises with some straight cameos and others full on part of the story. It’s all that hard to figure out where its headed, but it’s the strange journey this band of weirdos go on that makes the film work.
The cast are all great with each of them bringing just enough innocence and originality to make them the perfect unstable team of misfits even when it feels very familiar. The film sits atop the shoulders of Zoey Deutch whose innocent down home American girl persona is perfect to create this fish out of water element. All her friends are the perfect opposite personas to keep things fresh while still familiar.
The film hits all the cliches but still works and manages to find its own path to the funny finale. There are plenty of laughs and silliness as well as heart to make for a fun unexpected comedy that I hope finds the audience it deserves.
Decide for yourself and check out Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass in theaters now from Sony Pictures Classics.