Barb & Star go to Vista Del Mar, A Review

The friendship we all want. The vacation we all need.

Barb & Star go to Vista Del Mar follows best friends Barb (Annie Mumolo) and Star (Kristen Wiig), who live a somewhat repetitive life, never leaving their small town or having any adventures. After they are both fired from their jobs however they decide to live a little and vacation to Vista Del Mar, a small Caribbean island. Upon their arrival both are wowed by all their hotel has to offer and set out to do absolutely everything.

Along the way the pair meet fellow guest Edgar (Jamie Dornan, OUAT) who is actually there on a mission to destroy the hotel. Under the orders of his true love Sharon (also played by Wiig), Edgar is to plant a device that will attract a hoard of killer mosquitos to the hotel, killing everyone. Edgar however ends up getting distracted by Barb and Star, falling especially for Star. Can these two best friends foil Sharon’s evil plot and save the day or will their very first vacation also be their last?

Barb & Star was such a weirdly funny and quirky film. The plotline and humour was just completely out there and I never quite knew what was going to happen next. The story went absolutely crazy at times, having bomb threats, talking crabs, killer bugs and a lot of culottes, the writing was just mad. Wiig and Mumolo were also hilarious as Barb & Star and I loved their performances as the single, forty something women.

In many ways Barb & Star really wasn’t what I was expecting from the first teaser trailer. Obviously with Wiig and Mumolo at the forefront I was expecting a comedy but I really didn’t expect any of the ‘villian trying to bomb the beach’ plotline. Going in to this film I thought I’d be watching a quirky comedy about two best friends so everything else did come as a nice surprise. The film had drama and danger- albeit told in a hilarious way- and I liked the high stakes nature. Barb & Star may have just wanted a simple vacation but they end up needing to save the world as well, it was all very crazy.

Barb & Star had a brilliantly funny cast and I loved the performances throughout. Wiig and Mumolo were hilarious as ever but it was also nice to see an actor like Jamie Dornan in a comedic role, especially since he isn’t known for it. Dornan was very funny as Edgar in a very unexpected way, his softer character and random bursts into song were brilliant and I really loved watched him onscreen. I also enjoyed some of the smaller cameo appearances- especially the talking club- they did a lot with a small role.

I really liked how much the film focussed on friendship and the importance of a best friend. Romantic plotlines are all well and good but sometimes it’s just nice to watch a best friend type comedy (eg The Spy Who Dumped Me, Someone Great). Despite its ups and downs, Barb & Star’s relationship remained central throughout and I also liked how the ‘villain’ was defeated by friendship, it was weirdly wholesome.

Overall I enjoyed Barb & Star go to Vista Del Mar. The film was a quirky and often hilarious comedy with a random yet high stales plotline. I enjoyed the performances throughout and the central themes of friendship. This is definitely the sort of film to watch with your best friends, it a guranteed fun filled night.