Breaking News in Yuba County: Great cast in a caper comedy that breaks real bad
By Liam Lacey
Rating: D
A farce that fizzles, a satire that sags, and a dead-end for its gifted cast, Breaking News In Yuba County at least starts well.
Allison Janney, an actress who does pained dignity so well, plays Sue Button, gliding through a discount superstore, listening to her affirmation tapes through her ear-buds, on her way to pick up a pre-ordered birthday cake.
Allison Janney, Mila Kunis and Regina Hall in the allied comedy Breaking News in Yuba County.
The baker has misspelled “Happy birthday, Sue” as “Happy birthday, Suc.”
With a wincing smile, Sue hands the cashier her credit card. No one, not her husband Karl (Matthew Modine), nor her mean-girl half-sister TV journalist, Nancy (Mila Kunis), nor the staff at the call center where she works, remembers Sue’s birthday. Yet, her affirmation tape insists that “Your story is important.”
Later that day, when her jerk of a banker husband, Karl, dies in a motel room atop his married mistress, Leah (comedian Bridget Everett), Sue sees the chance to do something that will earn her some big-time attention.
What if, instead of growing cold a motel room floor, her husband had been mysteriously kidnapped? After threatening Leah with exposure, Sue buries Karl, and prepares for her moment in the spotlight.
PROUDLY SUPPORTS ORIGINAL-CIN
She has been transfixed by the story of a missing teen, Emily Rose, an obsessive focus of diva tabloid talk show host Gloria Michaels (Juliette Lewis). Aiming to get Gloria’s attention, she’s willing to step over her sister, Nancy, who suddenly shows an interest in her big sister’s life.
What Sue doesn't know is that Karl, in league with his ex-con brother, Petey (Jimmi Simpson) has been laundering money for a bowling alley operator and criminal (Keong Sim), and a large amount of cash has gone missing. Kim's sadistic enforcer daughter, Mina (Awkwafina), and her partner (Clifton Collins Jr.) are out to reclaim the cash, roughing and cutting up anyone who gets in their way.
And hilarity ensues. Okay, that last part is a lie.
Breaking News from Yuba County., which was written by Amanda Idoko and directed by Tate Taylor (The Help) is chockful of talented actors who, in other contexts, you’d be delighted to watch. Along with Janney, Kunis, Modine, Evans, and Awkwafina, there’s Wanda Sykes as a store manager with criminal dreams, Ellen Barkin as her scary girlfriend, and Regina Hall as a skeptical detective.
Kudos to the casting agency. As for the film, why belabour the already belaboured? This derivative clutter of cruel slapstick, dated commentary and coy music cues, is so cartoonish, you end up feeling both annoyed and sympathetic for their part in it.
Yes, I’d still watch Janney, Awkafina, Regina Hall and most of the rest of the cast in anything, just not in this movie again.
Breaking News from Yuba County. Directed by Taylor Tate. Written by Amanda Idoko. Starring: Allison Janney, Mila Kunis, Awkwafina. Regina Hall, Wanda Sykes, Juliette Lewis, Matthew Modine, Ellen Barkin, Bridget Everett. Breaking News from Yuma County is available on video on demand.