Nothing addictive about ‘Addicted to Fresno’
If “Addicted to Fresno †was a narcotic, it would be a baby aspirin. The film about sisters who clean rooms at a Fresno hotel isn’t dark enough to have the kind of creepy punch that would make it comically addictive. It’s more of a comic placebo.
The generally annoying Judy Greer and the under appreciated Natasha Lyonne play sisters Shannon and Martha. Shannon is a sex addict who has moved back to Fresno to live with her sister while going through rehab. Martha is the level-headed one who has spent her whole life taking care of members of the family.
Martha’s efforts to help Shannon lead to the pair working together. The problem is that Shannon’s more concerned with feeding her sex addiction than being a good worker and sister. This eventually leads to a plot device that feels more like a rejected TV sitcom idea than a feature film story.
Shannon accidentally kills a sleazy hotel guest. Because she’s a registered sex offender, the pair decide the best course of action is to get rid of the body. This sets up an endless string of scenes of the pair pushing a blue laundry bin with the body around town.
Released on Video On Demand Sept. 1 and will be in some theaters Oct. 2.
They finally end up at the local pet cemetery operated by one of Shannon’s friends (and by friend, they mean former sex partner). In a plot twist that goes beyond stupid as they try to get the pet cemetery owners to believe they have the body of a Great Dane in the bin and need it cremated. When the truth is revealed, the sisters must also deal with a blackmail plot.
“Addicted to Fresno†is built around the character played by Greer. Despite all the possibilities, hers is the least interesting story line in the film.
Lyonne’s portrayal as a caring sister is far more interesting, especially when she seems to keep sabotaging her own life to help others. Even Jessica St. Clair, who plays a neurotic desk clerk, does more with her small role. She can turn a simple hello into a comedic plea for help.
Karey Dornetto’s script begins a slow and tedious spiral into stupidity. The actions taken by the two women to deal with the body aren’t bizarre enough for the film to have a fun absurdity to it. What follows is a series of low-brow jokes and humor that feel more uncomfortable than funny.
Even the attempts to milk laughs out of knocking Fresno lack originality. Most of the jokes talk about the high temperatures and people wanting to leave. The best joke is one where a couple decides moving to Detroit would be better than staying in Fresno. The lack of clever jokes might just be the aftermath of this movie moving. It started out set in Cleveland. No matter the reason, the Fresno jokes show the same lack of inspiration that haunts this movie from start to finish.
Other than a couple of good performances, the only thing “Addicted to Fresno†has going for it is the novelty of the setting.
Director Jamie Babbit has a work history that features TV shows that focus on strong women: “Playing House,†“Drop Dead Diva,†“Smash,†“United States of Tara,†“Rizzoli & Isles†and “Pretty Little Liars.†Even with all the skill she’s shown in the past, there’s no way to get a powerful jolt out of a script that is so mundane and lackluster.
Other than a couple of good performances, the only thing “Addicted to Fresno†has going for it is the novelty of the setting. Don’t watch it looking to see a lot of the city because the movie was filmed in Los Angeles – with only a few scenes of Fresno cut into the film.
In the end, viewing “Addicted to Fresno†is an easy habit to break.