Synopsis
Two best friends embark on a cross country trip back to their hometown to attempt to win a pageant that eluded them as children.
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Cast
- June Diane RaphaelKate
- Casey WilsonChloe
- Vincent D'OnofrioBruce
- Alicia SilverstoneLaurel
- Jon CryerDean Morris
- Brian GeraghtyBrian
- Bob OdenkirkPageant MC
- Paul ScheerStrip Club Owner
- Sandy MartinQwen
- Lea DeLariaDeb
Recommendations
- 75
The A.V. Club
Although some of the road-trip clichés are unavoidable, Ass Backwards overcomes the obvious beats with clever, occasionally dark jokes that reveal the sharpness of its stars’ writing. - 70
Village Voice
The episodic story and minimal budget result in a small canvas over which these two huge characters dominate. - 63
RogerEbert.com
It's infectious, and the daffy, breezy way they play off each other makes Ass Backwards way more enjoyable than it ought to be. - 50
Film.com
Co-writers and stars June Diane Raphael (“Whitney,” “New Girl”) and Casey Wilson (“Happy Endings”) are genuine and true comic performers. Even though the story stunk, the set pieces were uninspired and the direction was downright wretched, when these two are “on” and doing schtick, they are absolutely fresh and hilarious. - 30
Variety
Ass Backwards proves that no amount of comic talent can shine — or raise a chuckle — in the absence of even halfway decent material. - 30
The Dissolve
Apparently unsure whether to go with the lazy idea of a disastrous beauty pageant or the equally lazy idea of a zany road trip, Raphael and Wilson lazily combine the two. - 30
Los Angeles Times
The scenarios in Ass Backwards, which director Chris Nelson contributed to by filming in focus, feel arbitrary rather than organic, as if the creators' list of humor targets — lesbian bikers, trailer trash, drug-addicted reality TV stars, pageant world denizens — were picked out of a hat. - 30
The New York Times
The film, a comedy without much comedy in it... clumsily tries to merge road trip humor and beauty pageant parody.
