Film

Tammy

Name: Tammy
Genre: Comedy
Released: 2014
Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Susan Sarandon, Kathy Bates, Mark Duplass, Gary Cole

Comedy

Tammy is a scrappy road-trip comedy about a woman whose life implodes in a single day, forcing her to steal her grandmother's car and chase Niagara Falls. It's warm, profane, and loose—Melissa McCarthy and Susan Sarandon riff together like they've known each other for decades. A film that wants to be messy and kind at once, where the jokes land hardest when nobody's trying.

TMDb rating

2.7

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you like crude, loose-limbed comedies where a stubborn, self-sabotaging heroine and a foul-mouthed grandmother bicker their way across the map, and you don't mind the rough edges.

Skip it if you need sharp jokes and tight plotting, since the gags are broad and the story wanders, and McCarthy's loud, teary register can wear thin fast over a whole film.

What it asks of you: a brisk ninety-odd minutes, with rowdy scenes that come in bursts and quieter stretches of driving and grumbling, so it asks for patience with its rhythm more than close attention.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Bridesmaids2011

Melissa McCarthy at her most magnetic, anchoring a comedy that finds genuine pathos beneath the chaos. Razor-sharp script about friendship and self-sabotage that rewards repeat watches.

But If you need plot to drive a comedy, this one takes its time getting anywhere. Some of the humour lands on bodily functions; not everyone's lane.

Steel Magnolias1989

The spiritual ancestor of Tammy: women of different ages on a journey together, balancing comedy with real affection and loss. Susan Sarandon channels the same energy as Pearl here.

But It's gentler and more sentimental than Tammy. If you want a comedy with real teeth, this one plays it safer.

A League of Their Own1992

Tom Hanks and Madonna in a film that pivots between laugh-out-loud moments and genuine emotion. Women finding themselves through adventure, with Geena Davis stealing every scene she's in.

But It's a sports movie at heart, so if baseball bores you, some stretches will drag. Also made in a different era—the tone can feel dated.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Tammy

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Nomadland2021

Both are road movies about women starting over after crisis, but Nomadland approaches the same journey with grave tenderness instead of humour. They're mirror images of how cinema responds to loss.

Fern travels America in a van after losing everything. What looks like a documentary unfolds as something far more intimate—a study of resilience and solitude. Chloé Zhao's direction makes the landscape feel like a character.

But Quiet, meditative, almost no traditional plot. If you watch Tammy for laughs, this will feel like switching channels to a different film entirely.

The Heat2013

Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock build chemistry from scratch and never stop. Wildly funny buddy-cop film that doesn't underestimate its audience or its jokes.

But Loud and relentless; if you prefer comedy that lets you breathe, this will exhaust you. Some gags outstay their welcome.

Thelma & Louise1991

Two women on the run, but this is the film that rewrote the rules: funny, violent, sexy, and genuinely tragic. Susan Sarandon again, proving she's essential to any conversation about road movies.

But It's a very different film—grittier, darker, ultimately devastating. Tammy is comedy first; this is tragedy wearing a leather jacket.

Dumplin'2018

Dolly Parton and Danielle Macdonald finding each other across generational lines, with heart and humour. A film about self-acceptance that actually earns its sweetness.

But Netflix film with all the soft-focus lighting that entails. Earnest in a way that can feel slight if you're not in the mood for it.

Nine to Five1980

Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin: three women taking control of their lives through comedy and ingenuity. Pure joy, and Kathy Bates worked with this exact energy for decades after.

But It's a product of 1980—the feminism is broad, the satire is obvious. If you need subtlety, look elsewhere.

I Feel Pretty2018

Amy Schumer trying earnestly to make a film about women and self-image. When it works, it's genuinely funny; the cast commits to the bit entirely.

But It aims higher than it reaches. Some jokes flatten, and the central conceit can feel thin by the midpoint.

Withnail & I1987

Two men on a doomed journey through the English countryside. The dialogue is quotable, the comic timing is precise, and failure has never been more entertaining.

But Deeply British, very dry, no plot to speak of. If you need narrative momentum, you'll be frustrated. Some viewers find it impenetrable.

Schitt's Creek2015

Like Tammy, Schitt's Creek finds genuine warmth through forced proximity—people stuck together discovering they actually need each other. But it has six seasons to build what Tammy does in 97 minutes.

A family loses everything and relocates to a nowhere town. What starts as fish-out-of-water comedy becomes a show about love, acceptance, and chosen family. By season four you'll be invested in people you didn't think you'd like.

But Early episodes are broader than later ones; if the pilot doesn't land, trust that it deepens, but that's a hard ask. Canadian TV pacing means things move slower.

Jackass2000

Both Tammy and Jackass find their heart in the bonds between people rather than plot. Tammy wraps that in affection; Jackass wraps it in chaos. Same engine, wildly different registers.

Grown men do violent, stupid, hilarious things to each other on camera. Pure joy with no irony. The delight is not in the pain but in the friendship underneath—they're laughing at each other, not at you.

But It is exactly what it sounds like. If you cannot find humour in watching someone get hit in the groin with a skateboard, this is not your film. Also deliberately crude.