Life of the Party

The modern academic landscape of safe spaces and microaggression measurement might have given the old premise a good jolt, but Falcone and McCarthy take the easier route of throwing her character into the epic partying of the Greek system.

McCarthy doesn't try to conceal her purpose: she has won her power the hard way and she wants to use it for the greater good. That's part of what makes her the cultural icon she has become, the champion of downtrodden woman of all shapes and sizes.

Melissa McCarthy stars in Life of the Party, which uneasily tries to mix messages about female empowerment and body positivity with cliched jokes about aging.

The pat drama and the mild conflicts of "Life of the Party" leave McCarthy with little chance to shine, despite her near-constant presence onscreen.

Life of the Party doesn't live up to either of the nouns in its title.

Melissa McCarthy is comedy royalty - it's a scientific fact, look it up - but even the Bridesmaids star can't keep this mom-goes-to-college fluffball from flatlining.

The comedy consistently works, with McCarthy showing off her versatility as a performer.

While Life of the Party isn't, you know, what you would call "funny," for the most part it really means well.

Nothing new or outstanding in Life of the Party, apart from how tame and unfunny it was. I wish I hadn't bothered.

This is certainly a frivolous little picture.