Kristen Wiig’s New Movie ‘Barb & Star’ Dropped Today After Months of Hype—Here's My 100% Honest Review

The movie starts off nothing like I expected, focusing on a young paper boy, Yoyo (Reyn Doi), who was adopted by an evil dictator, Sharon Gordon Fisherman (Wiig). (Think Princess Leia meets Austin Powers with a hint of Willy Wonka.) Her goal is to wipe Vista Del Mar—a Florida vacation destination—off the map by releasing a swarm of deadly mosquitos.

Meanwhile, Barb (Mumolo) and Star (also played by Wiig) are living their best middle-age lives in a small town they’ve never left. Although they’re employed by a furniture store, they view their job more as a social outing than anything else. When the shop closes unexpectedly, they’re forced to rethink their future careers (and Thanksgiving plans). This leads them to book a trip to—you guessed it—Vista Del Mar.

Barb and Star experience an onslaught of relatable vacation moments, like mixing up the hotel, accidentally taking drugs and meeting a guest turned hookup buddy named Edgar (Jamie Dornan).

I won’t give too much away, but when Edgar comes between Barb and Star, they’re faced with several friendship firsts. Will the BFFs succumb to the wrath of Sharon’s mosquitos? Or will they convince Edgar to become their third musketeer?

If you asked me one year ago, I might have answered differently. However, if there’s one thing I miss about life pre-COVID, it’s going to a movie theater to enjoy a laugh-out-loud funny flick.

With that in mind, I think Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is a definite must-watch for anyone who’s looking to escape to an alternate universe. The movie resembles something you’d see on Saturday Night Live, doubling as an extremely long skit that pieces together relatable elements in an unbelievable situation you can’t help but laugh at.

Is the plot something that could happen in real life? Not in the slightest. Does it resonate with audiences of all ages? Not really, especially since there are some inappropriate scenes and references. But did it make me laugh? Absolutely. And most importantly, did it distract me for an entire hour and 45 minutes? The answer is yes. And I really needed it.

Apart from the cheesy storyline, Barb and Star also features several familiar faces, including Vanessa Bayer, Phyllis Smith, Rose Abdoo, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Damon Wayans Jr. and Fortune Feimster. Oh, my Star!

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is now available for purchase on multiple streaming services, including Amazon Prime, Google Play and Vudu. The cost to rent the movie is $20, but when compared to the price of one modern-day movie ticket, it’s really not that bad.

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