STEPHEN APPLEBAUM

(15)

SNATCHED SEES the welcome return of Goldie Hawn, following a 15-year absence, in a film which should have been a perfect fit for the Hollywood veteran. Cast opposite her is Amy Schumer, hot from her self-penned surprise hit while the direction and writing are in the capable hands of Jonathan Levine and Kate Dippold. What could possibly go wrong?

The first 20 minutes or so are promising enough as they set up a crossgenerational comedy in which Emily (Schumer) loses her job and boyfriend, and then finds herself stuck on a non-refundable trip to Ecuador with her neurotic, safety-obsessed divorcee mum, Linda (Hawn).

Unfortunately, not long after they’ve gone south of the border, the laughs become thinner, sparser and cheaper. It’s as if no one could be bothered to work out a structure that didn’t make the film feel like it was just thrown together.

Schumer has a few hilarious moments, some of which appear in the trailer, but Hawn, one of American cinema’s most lovable comedy actresses, is given almost nothing funny to do. It’s like putting sugar in the tank of a classic car. Even at 90 minutes, Snatched feels overlong and under-nourished. Knowing everyone involved is capable of much better just adds to the disappointment.