"Tammy succeeds in creating charismatic and engaging but most importantly likeable characters"

Melissa McCarthy is Hollywood’s new comedy darling, with a string a box office hits under her talented belt including 2011’s break through rom-com Bridesmaids, which saw McCarthy easily steal every scene. As well as 2013’s equally successful ‘The Heat’ which simply yet cleverly reserved the gender roles of the stereotypical male buddy cop movie, alongside comedy veteran Sandra Bullock.

Now McCarthy returns to the big screen and serves us up her new comedy offering Tammy, which she produced and co-wrote with husband Ben Falcone who makes his directorial debut whilst also starring as Keith, Tammy’s slimy, sweating and heinously self-pompous fast food outlet boss. This is most certainly a pro McCarthy affair.

Over the course of a seemingly continual stream of unfortunate events - Tammy loses her car, job and husband (due to arriving home early to discover her husband has been unfaithful) in quick succession, a day to be precise.  Having decided to leave her small hometown behind, but having no means of money or transport Tammy is forced to set off on a road trip with her party loving and mass alcohol consuming grandmother Pearl.

Boasting a dynamic cast including the likes of Susan Sarandon and Kathy Bates, Tammy definitely has the backing of key Hollywood players with even Anchorman himself (Will Ferrell) adding to the lengthy producers credits. However even with a handful of laugh out loud moments and plenty more smatterings of smirks/titters throughout, Tammy fails to set the silver screen alight with the belly aching laughs present in McCarthy’s previous forays that are seemingly absent this time.

However that being said contrary to most of the mainstream comedies being churned out nowadays, Tammy succeeds in creating charismatic and engaging but most importantly likeable characters.  The blossoming and repairing of Tammy’s and Pearl’s relationship does tug at the old heart strings especially during an touching scene during the film’s finale, but as always there is comic relief to offset the emotional juxtaposition.

Verdict – Whilst this isn’t McCarthy’s finest hour, the warmth and good hearted nature of Tammy sets it apart the formulaic and uninspired comedies currently making the rounds in the Hollywood studios.