Written by: Jen D’Angelo
Starring: Awkwafina, Sandra Oh, Jason Schwartzman, Holland Taylor, Tony Hale, Will Ferrell
Rating: [3.5/5]
Everyone carries a special talent they have obtained naturally that allows them to succeed in ways others simply cannot. These talents may lie in obscure areas that provide no real external or tangible benefit unless put to the test as seen in Quiz Lady where we get a nice tale of two sisters and how it all centers back on the talents of one and the bad decisions of another. With a winning pair at its center, this film delivers a fabulously fun time at the movies.
Anne (Awkwafina) does everything by the book in her life but does not have much of a social life where she spends her evenings watching her favorite game show “Can’t Stop the Quiz.” She does better than most contestants but never goes on the show, but when she and her sister Jenny (Sandra Oh) get on the hook for their mother’s gambling debt, Anne seeks to win the grand prize by reluctantly going on.
Creating a duo like Jenny and Anne serves as opposites coming together purely because of their blood bond. Under no other circumstance would Anne interact with someone like Jenny, but their sisterly bond truly runs the show of what we get here with Quiz Lady. Not only do their differences make for some comedy, but it certainly propels the narrative along seeing as Anne carries the talent of being quite successful on the game show in question, but Jenny sets everything in motion even if not with the consent of her younger and more awkward sister. Even when things go off the rails funnily, this film never loses its sights on the core bond these two hold, which makes the callbacks and ultimate conclusion of the story all the more satisfying and heartwarming.
The differences between these two sets itself on both the inside and outside, and the two leading actors do so well in their portrayal of these characters. Awkwafina must go forth with this frumpy look and generally dour demeanor, while Jenny exists as this wild card who comes and shakes things up for her sister. They make for such a fun dynamic, which allows Sandra Oh to really break out and give a performance unlike anything I have seen from her before. Mostly operating in dramatic roles, she goes out there puts forth such a wacky performance externally and internally where she runs the risk of overboard but never quite loses touch with the reality of this circumstance. She makes all of it work unsurprisingly, which contrasts well to Awkwafina delivering a more subdued performance where she has found success before in The Farewell, further displaying her range.
When we arrive at the game show, we also receive some fun moments with actors I did not expect to appear in this film, which includes Jason Schwartzman as the main adversary to Anne winning the funds she needs to save her life as a contestant. Then we have Will Ferrell portraying the host of the game show, who does a splendid job in his own right in playing a much softer role that serves as a wonderful complement to the already wacky characters we have in this film. Having Will Ferrell do his regular shtick would have done the film a disservice, which makes Jessica Yu’s direction all the more impressive in the way she manages to balance out all of these talents to never lose sight of the goal at hand and having everything serve the story, and it certainly worked out for the best.
Wonderful hjinks occurs in Quiz Lady where we receive some wacky characters thrown into a strange circumstance all culminating in a story that contains plenty of laughs but truly nails it when it gets down to the emotional connection of these two sisters. It demonstrates the beautiful bond these two blood-connected individuals hold for each other, and it allows every moment they share together to mean something in propelling forward the narrative. Sandra Oh and Awkwafina are absolutely dynamite together and proved to be a combination I never knew I needed but I am glad came together. This film proves wonderfully enjoyable and zany which makes me happy for all involved.
Films with Josh 
