Academy Award nominees Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo have entered the Oscar race with Lionsgate’s “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar.” The comedic duo, along with songwriter Mark Jonathan Davis (better known as his stage name Richard Cheese), are submitting the hilarious number “I Love Boobies.” In a Variety exclusive, we have a 30-second clip of the song, details surrounding the awards campaign and its chances in the race.
The film tells the story of two best friends, Barb (Mumolo) and Star (Wiig), who go on vacation in Vista Del Mar, Fla., and find themselves in way over their heads. The movie features a lively and amusing cast that includes Jamie Dornan (“Wild Mountain Thyme”), Damon Wayans Jr (“Cherry”), Vanessa Bayer (“Wander Darkly”), Phyllis Smith (“Inside Out”), Andy Garcia (“Words on Bathroom Walls”) and Wendi McLendon-Covey (“Sylvie’s Love”).
With the shortlist voting opening for the Academy Awards on Monday, Feb. 1, the refreshing film is just the type of movie and musical flavor to hit the world during this COVID-19 pandemic. While the Academy may have a reputation of being highbrow, the music branch has previously been open to some of the coolest, left-field choices like “Blame Canada” from “South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut” and “Everything Is Awesome” from “The LEGO Movie.”
“I don’t want this to sound like showbiz baloney, but Kristen and Annie are just the best,” says Davis. “This was my first big-time Hollywood movie role, and they gave me this amazing opportunity and treated me like royalty the whole time.” Richard Cheese sets the tone for the movie with his number, framing the movie’s wild and adventurous antics.
Lionsgate also submitted a second song from the film, “Welcome to Palm Vista,” written by Mumolo and Wiig, along with all other eligible categories, including best picture and original score for composers Christopher Lennertz and Dara Taylor. Though not submitted, Mumolo and Wiig co-write the song “Edgar’s Prayer,” sung by Jamie Dornan, and it might stand as one of my ten favorite movie scenes from this year. I’d go as far as to say that this is Dornan’s best acting performance of his career yet, having the time of his life in a movie that came at the perfect time in our lives.
There is nothing better than a movie that doesn’t take itself so seriously. This is Wiig and Mumolo shining in every part of their chemistry, wit and character creations. A film like this proves that comedy is an art and should be treated and valued as much as any hard-hitting drama. The women are geniuses.
The film was not submitted in time for consideration from the Golden Globes or SAG awards but is be eligible for the Critics Choice Awards.
The soundtrack will be released on Feb. 12 before the film is released on Feb. 19.