Mumolo and Wiig are two of Hollywood’s most talented writers and performers. In Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, they’ve crafted characters who are immensely warm and charming with their midwestern wholesomeness and Fargo-ish accents. What fun it would be to get to know these women, spend time with them, and let the fun happen.
Instead, what we get is a moronic subplot involving a scheme to wipe out hundreds of people with killer mosquitoes. That’s just too much plot for a movie like this to handle. At least when the Austin Powers titles introduced schemes like this, they were doing so with the explicit aim of spoofing James Bond plotlines. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar isn’t trying to send up anything in particular; it just wants to introduce two wildly kooky and amiable characters. There is absolutely no need to involve them in a stupid side story involving killer mosquitoes.
“Mumolo and Wiig are two of Hollywood’s most talented writers and performers.”
Mumolo and Wiig are so engaging as Barb and Star that the film suffers slightly when the two are not onscreen. Thankfully, that does not happen very often. Dornan is a good sport and seems to be having a blast. Damon Wayans Jr., playing a spy who can’t stop divulging personal information, and Andy Garcia, in a cameo, both seem to be having fun as well.
Much like the dynamite ladies that Mumolo and Wiig wrote and refreshingly bring to life, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is shimmery, vibrant, and as welcoming as a great big hug. I would watch these two try to get themselves out of any messy situation, except for one involving killer mosquitoes.
"…as welcoming as a great big hug."
