Like a Boss (2020)

Directed by: Miguel Arteta | 83 minutes | comedy | Actors: Tiffany Haddish, Rose Byrne, Salma Hayek, Karan Soni, Jacob Latimore, Billy Porter, Jimmy O. Yang, Ryan Hansen, Jennifer Coolidge, Jessica St. Clair, Natasha Rothwell, Ari Graynor, Lisa Kudrow, Caroline Arapoglou

Fascinating is the best description of ‘Like A Boss’. This so-called comedy is so weirdly put together and directed that you wonder who approved it. Who thought it was a good idea to release this movie in this form and classify it under the comedy genre? Questions that unfortunately go unanswered if you decide to sacrifice 83 minutes of your life to solve this mystery.

‘Like A Boss’ centers on Mia (Tiffany Haddish) and Mel (Rose Byrne). These two women are inseparable and are best friends with their own cosmetics company. When cosmetics tycoon Claire Luna (Salma Hayek) wants to take over their company and promise them autonomy, the duo agrees. It earns them a lot of money, which comes in handy when creditors are at the door. However, Luna is out to destroy the friendship between M&M – as the friends call themselves – so that she can take full control of the company.

Director Miguel Arteta seems to have stitched together a series of separate sketches and given his cast different instructions. Byrne and even the normally screaming Haddish play fairly modest, while Hayek goes completely over-the-top as a bad businesswoman in an atypical role for her. It seems as if they are in another movie. What makes this film all the more painful is the lack of a lavish soundtrack. Countless films are completely filled with music to make the emotions of the characters extra thick. It masks a lack of talent, because you immediately indicate what the audience should feel about something. Sensitive ballads for handkerchief moments? Check! Rock music for when you have to fight? Checked off! Well, the idea should be clear. None of that in ‘Like A Boss’.

The lack of music makes the killing jokes even more painful to watch. The fact that the scenes don’t feel like a whole makes this film very special. When suddenly a flamboyant character with a caricatural character like Hayek shows up, watching ‘Like A Boss’ makes a special experience. This movie doesn’t ‘work’. The acting is not necessarily bad, but because the actors approach this film in their own way, it comes across as rather strange. So quickly forget this movie.