The Wrong Missy Review: Happy Madison Misfire Wastes Lauren Lapkus
There’s a specific kind of preemptive fatigue that can set in upon seeing the Happy Madison Productions logo appear before a film. Adam Sandler’s production company, known for leveraging friendships into films and often funded vacations disguised as movie shoots, has carved out a significant, if often critically maligned, niche. While Sandler himself isn’t the star here, the formula feels familiar. This time, the vehicle is designed for David Spade in The Wrong Missy, a Netflix comedy that unfortunately embodies many of the production house’s less endearing qualities.
Familiar Premise, Painfully Unfunny Execution
The Wrong Missy operates on a premise so well-trodden it’s surprising Happy Madison hadn’t exhausted it sooner. David Spade portrays Tim Morris, a nondescript single man who, after a disastrous blind date, believes he’s met the perfect woman, Melissa (Molly Sims), through a chance airport encounter. Eager to impress her, he invites her via text to a corporate retreat in Hawaii. However, he mistakenly sends the invitation to the other Melissa from his contacts – the nightmare blind date from his past, Missy (Lauren Lapkus). The film hinges on Tim’s horror as he realizes he’s stuck with the “wrong Missy” for the duration of his important work event. Directorial duties fall to Tyler Spindel, who previously collaborated with Spade on Father of the Year, another Netflix entry, ensuring the Happy Madison B-team, including regulars Nick Swardson and Rob Schneider, are present, seemingly ready to appear whenever summoned.
David Spade appears exasperated beside a wildly gesturing Lauren Lapkus in the Netflix movie The Wrong Missy
The execution is where the concept completely falters. Enduring a poorly executed comedy can be a uniquely painful viewing experience, and The Wrong Missy offers little respite. The film fails to elicit genuine laughter, relying instead on predictable situations and increasingly uncomfortable character behavior presented as humor. The narrative unfolds exactly as expected, hitting tired beats without an ounce of freshness or wit. It’s a ninety-minute slog that tests patience rather than tickling funny bones.
Lauren Lapkus Deserves Better
The central, and arguably only, joke in The Wrong Missy is the characterization of Missy as outrageously “crazy.” She lacks any social filter, brandishes a large knife with alarming casualness, turns every interaction into chaos, and engages in behavior that crosses into sexual assault (like masturbating an unconscious Tim on a plane after drugging him). To her credit, Lauren Lapkus throws herself into this thankless role with considerable energy. Lapkus is a supremely gifted comedic performer, known for her exceptional improv skills showcased on podcasts like Comedy Bang Bang and her own With Special Guest Lauren Lapkus. She possesses the ability to embody outlandish characters while retaining a kernel of charm. However, the script gives her absolutely nothing nuanced to work with. Missy is a one-dimensional caricature built on outdated “crazy girlfriend” tropes, seemingly mined from worst-date anecdotes. It’s the kind of role male characters in Sandler films often play for laughs, but framed as alarming because it’s a woman. Sadly, Lapkus has little chemistry with Spade, who seems largely disengaged throughout the film, leaving her comedic efforts to fall flat in a vacuum.
The Predictable Happy Madison Formula
Just as the film leans into the potential discomfort of its premise, it pivots sharply towards forced sentimentality – a hallmark of many Happy Madison productions. Instead of committing to the potentially dark or truly anarchic humor of Tim being stuck with a genuinely dangerous woman, The Wrong Missy opts for a sudden, unearned change of heart. Tim begins to see Missy’s “quirks” in a new light, conveniently coinciding with her toning down the psychopathic behavior. The film even tacks on a sympathetic backstory to justify her actions, attempting to retroactively excuse the deeply problematic behavior, including the repeated sexual assaults. This attempt to redeem Missy and find a pseudo-romantic connection feels disingenuous and cowardly, refusing to engage with the implications of its own setup. The narrative inconsistency highlights a lack of conviction, ultimately serving a weak message about embracing weirdness that feels entirely unearned given the character’s actions. The potential for a genuinely edgy dark comedy, or even a zany pairing involving Sarah Chalke (who appears later), is squandered in favor of predictable, insincere resolution.
A Missed Opportunity and Wasted Talent
The most disheartening aspect of The Wrong Missy is the blatant waste of Lauren Lapkus’s talent. An actress deserving of star vehicles that utilize her unique comedic abilities is instead saddled with a poorly written, borderline offensive role in a forgettable streaming movie. It speaks volumes when her supporting role in Jurassic World offered a better showcase than this supposed comedy lead. While the film avoids some of the more egregious homophobic or transphobic pitfalls found in other Happy Madison titles, it settles comfortably into garden-variety misogyny disguised as a quirky romance. The predictability, the lack of laughs, and the sheer inertia of the project make it a quintessential example of the less-inspired side of the Happy Madison catalog.
In conclusion, The Wrong Missy is another inert comedy from the Happy Madison production line. It fails to deliver laughs, leans on a tired premise, and criminally underutilizes the immense comedic talent of Lauren Lapkus. David Spade coasts, the supporting cast fills familiar slots, and the entire endeavor feels like a missed opportunity wrapped in predictable, uninspired filmmaking.
The Wrong Missy is available to stream on Netflix.
