“The Boss” proves disappointing

Melissa+McCarthy+played+Michelle+Darnell%2C+a+wealthy+CEO+recently+released+from+federal+prison+due+to+insider+trading.++

Melissa McCarthy played Michelle Darnell, a wealthy CEO recently released from federal prison due to insider trading.

After laughing my way through “Bridesmaids” and “Identity Thief” starring Academy Award-nominated star, Melissa McCarthy, I was excited for yet another hilarious comedy. However, “The Boss” was a slight disappointment.

Scoring a mere 19 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, the film centered around the wealthy CEO Michelle Darnell who, after being caught for insider trading, is sent to federal prison. After being set free, she is determined to rebrand herself as America’s new sweetheart, despite concerns from friends and family.

On paper, the movie had the potential to be hilarious, featuring an award winning cast (Kristen Bell, Peter Dinklage, and Kathy Bates) and director (Ben Falcone).

I will admit, there were humorous moments given McCarthy’s incredible comedic timing and natural screen presence. Yet the entire ordeal felt half-baked, like the jokes were written in after the screenwriters reread it and realized there weren’t any.

In fact, the film was so empty of a true storyline that I was surprised when the credits flashed on the screen. I would say it felt unfinished, but there was never much of a story to begin with.

Every character lacked the specificity need for development throughout the film. It remained unclear what Michelle’s huge business actually did or what characteristics made up her daughter (Bell) aside from being a “single mom” who’s “too nice for her own good.”

Including these details would have helped add depth and create more of a connection with the audience. Instead, the characters felt vague and their only purpose was to spit out jokes.

The end of the film was drizzled with unconvincing morals like “growing up is good” and “family first” that just felt fake after the poor performance.

I saw this film primarily for McCarthy’s humor, but she sadly strayed from her usual pizazz. So instead of disappointing yourself with this middle-of-the-road comedy, maybe just stay home and re-watch “Bridesmaids.”