
Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar
By Tara McNamara,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Goofy female friendship comedy has sex, drugs, drinking.

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Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar
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What's the Story?
In BARB AND STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR, Midwestern middle-aged best friends Barb (Annie Mumolo) and Star (Kristen Wiig) are inspired to shake up their lives after a friend returns from a fabulous vacation. The inseparable pals/roommates travel to a Florida beach town in hopes of finding adventure, unaware that the city's annual seafood festival has been targeted by a domestic terrorist (also Wiig). Jamie Dornan and Damon Wayans Jr. co-star.
Is It Any Good?
This movie is a fun watch-together pick for adult girlfriends; it's a safe bet that most men and teens aren't likely to appreciate it for all of its girly, goofy glory. Wiig and Mumolo affectionately parody "average American women," simultaneously making their characters the butt of the joke and lifting them up to be the hero that they truly are. While they don't always make the right choices, the pair clearly demonstrate traits that parents and caregivers want to instill in kids: kindness, forgiveness, positivity, and an appreciation for the little things in life. Both Barb and Star have hit rough patches -- unexpected divorce and unexpected unemployment -- but they bolster each other with unconditional encouragement and support. While the movie's premise is utterly ludicrous, the straight-faced jokes zip, dart, and zing like a high-scoring round of pinball.
Star is only a few degrees away from Wiig's infamous "Target lady" character from Saturday Night Live. But Wiig also plays villain Sharon Gordon Fisherman, a juicy, delicious, over-the-top femme fatale who plots to murder an entire town. She has a fictional skin pigmentation condition, which perpetuates the problematic choice to give villains (especially in comedies) disabilities. In this case, her condition makes her appear more sinister -- but also, it's clear, supposedly more laughable. Yes, it's a made-up disease, but it's quite reminiscent of albinism, an actual disorder that cinema almost exclusively associates with nefarious characters. At the same time, Sharon is full of self-confidence, spurning her handsome henchman Edgar's (Jamie Dornan) romantic overtures: It takes more than good looks to warm her cold heart. The ultimate redemption, though, is that Barb and Star's amazing friendship and positive attitude give the rest of us the warm fuzzies.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how villains, especially in comedies, are too often characterized as having disabilities. Does it change the impact of that representation if the disability is fictional -- or if the villain is a femme fatale-type (like Sharon)?
How are drug and alcohol use depicted in Barb and Star? Is substance use glamorized or realistic? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
How do Barb and Star's communication skills help their friendship thrive? What happens when they start lying to each other? Why is communication an important life skill?
Compare the tone of Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar to that of other friendship comedies, like Romy & Michele's High School Reunion, Clueless, and Wiig and Mumolo's previous film, Bridesmaids. How is this one similar and different?
Wiig and Mumolo got their start in the L.A. improvisational comedy group The Groundlings. How is their character-driven comedic style similar to that of other Groundlings alumni, such as Will Ferrell, Melissa McCarthy, and Jennifer Coolidge?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: April 6, 2021
- Cast: Kristen Wiig , Annie Mumolo , Jamie Dornan
- Director: Josh Greenbaum
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: Lionsgate
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Friendship
- Run time: 106 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: crude sexual content, drug use and some strong language
- Last updated: June 20, 2023
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