Once you can get over the overlong title Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass is a gloriously silly, wildly energetic comedy that turns relationship revenge into a riotous Hollywood adventure. It is big-hearted, gloriously absurd fun, exactly the sort of outrageous crowd-pleaser made for audiences wanting to laugh.
Zoey Deutch stars as Gail, a small-town hairdresser who captures her fiancé Tom using his agreed “celebrity sex pass” on Jennifer Aniston, prompting Gail to head for Los Angeles and pursue her own “celebrity sex pass” fantasy, the movie star Jon Hamm. Joined by her friend Otto, Gail encounters a crazy bunch of people including a psychic, a talent-agency assistant, a paparazzo and John Slattery, while a gang of Italian assassins adds increasingly ludicrous danger to the chase.
Director David Wain gives the film a deliberately scrappy, surreal, anything-goes style, mixing deadpan delivery, rapid-fire gags, celebrity cameos and a playful Wizard of Oz framework. Beneath the outrageous comedy the film has real heart exploring themes of marriage, revenge, self-discovery, celebrity worship and the difference between Hollywood fantasy and reality.
Zoey Deutch, excellent in Zombieland: Double Tap, is infectious as Gail, Hamm, famous for Madman and Top Gun: Maverick, has great comic timing, and Slattery, known for Spotlight, embraces the film’s wonderfully eccentric tone. After its Sundance film festival premiere, it received rave reviews. Audiences and critics have praised its madcap nature, its quantity of genuine laugh out loud comedic moments, crazy high concept comedy-adventure and great performances from all involved.
If you enjoyed films like Wet Hot American Summer (2001) and Little Miss Sunshine (2006) then you are likely to enjoy Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass
