Two months after its premiere in TIFF, Quiz Lady arrived on streaming this November. The comedy film has a sort-of buddy cop dynamic, with an anxiety-ridden, tightly-wound Awkwafina as Anne, and a chaotic Sandra Oh that lets loose with free-spirited Jenny. The film does take its time to get to the good part, and in certain scenes, it feels like it’s torn between the heartfelt and the humorous, but the leads’ acting smooths over some of the awkward writing. Quiz Lady still leads up to a fun watch, though better pacing and writing could have made this charming comedy a classic.
"The odd couple... shares a sensational chemistry, building on the base amusement of seeing Oh let her extension-laden hair down and Awkwafina crimp the straight-man character into weird new shapes."
— Charles Bramesco
"While Yu doesn’t always balance the zany physical comedy and earnest family drama she aims for, and D’Angelo’s script is packed with far too many threads, the film works largely thanks to the irrepressible charm of star Sandra Oh."
— Marya E. Gates
A brilliant but tightly wound, gameshow-obsessed young woman, Anne, and her estranged, train-wreck of a sister, Jenny, must work together to help cover their mother's gambling debts. When Anne's beloved dog is kidnapped, they set out on a wild, cross-country trek to get the cash the only way they know how: by turning Anne into a bona-fide gameshow champion.
Tightly-wounded accountant Anne teams up with her chaotic sister Jenny to cover her mom’s gambling debts through transforming Anne into the champion of her favorite quiz show.
Quiz Lady isn’t new, and plenty of the scripts feel fairly uneven, but what makes it work is the film’s main leads. Sandra Oh and Awkwafina are a great team, bouncing off each other with a dynamic that made their sibling dynamic believable. Awkwafina steps into a character that’s more serious and worrisome than her other comedic roles, emphasizing Anne’s neuroticism for laughs, but also to show how she’s sabotaging herself. But Oh is a stand-out in here, as a chaotic but supportive older sister that contrasts her more tense dramatic roles. The contrast is delightful as it feels like she’s having fun letting loose in her role.
Oh, to have the unearned confidence of Jenny Yum!!!
WGA
1 win
