When it comes to establishing a basic comic book universe, writer-director Ben Falcone can’t even manage to get the small details right, things like establishing an unfeigned menace from the get-go. With all the talk of legions of “Miscreants” overtaking Chicago, we never see more than three or four super-villains populating the midnight sky. Hell, this thing is so ineptly put together, we miss out on bits of essential information like what exactly caused the two childhood friends Lydia (Melissa McCarthy) and Emily (Octavia Spencer) to fall out of contact in the first place. Flash-forward to find forklift driver Lydia paying a visit to scientist Emily’s office. “Don’t touch anything,” Emily insists before leaving Lydia alone just long enough for her to accidentally touch the wrong thingamajig, which results in both women being transformed into costumed superheroes. What sets Lydia apart from the rest of the comic creations in McCarthy’s bag of tricks? Having Ms. Spencer to play off of, for one, followed by a better hairstylist. She’s also the first superhero powered in part by the Old Style brewery. Credit the PG-leaning PG-13 rating to the bright relationship between Emily and her teenage daughter Tracy (Taylor Mosby). McCarthy’s incessant talking approach to comedy seeks its own level; Spencer knows precisely when to shut up, making her McCarthy’s strongest comedy partner to date (and there have been many). Considering it’s both a comic book movie and Melissa McCarthy comedy, my expectations were surpassed. Ben Falcone (Tammy, Boss, The Life of the Party) directs. (2021) — Scott Marks
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