In Quiz Lady, Anne Yum is a clever, yet quiet woman, who works a dull office job, and spends most of her day fading into the background. Her only real pleasure in life comes from watching the television quiz show, Can’t Stop the Quiz, which she has followed ever since she was a little girl.
One day, while at work, Anne receives a call from the nursing home where her mother lives. Her gambling-addicted mother has gone missing, and following various incidents of bad behaviour at the home, she is being evicted regardless of whether she is found or not.
If this wasn’t enough for Anne to contend with, her estranged sister, Jenny, shows up and appears to be homeless. After convincing Anne to provide her with a place to live, Jenny moves into Anne’s home and disrupts her life even further.
Within days of Jenny living with Anne, she becomes aware of Anne’s daily routine of watching Can’t Stop the Quiz. She also notices just how good Anne is at answering the questions, so she secretly films her sister and puts the footage online.
After the video footage goes viral, Anne is approached by a bookie. Anne’s mother owes him $80,000, so he’s kidnapped Anne’s dog and unless he gets the money back within two weeks, from either Anne or her mother, Anne will never see the dog again.
Realising there are few ways to raise the money fast, Jenny suggests Anne becomes a contestant on Can’t Stop the Quiz to win the prize money. But when Anne declines the suggestion, Jenny takes measures into her own hands to ensure her sister ends up on the show.
Directed by Jessica Yu, and starring Awkwafina, Sandra Oh, Will Ferrell, and Jason Schwartzman, Quiz Lady is light comedy which is new to streaming today. The movie is available to watch through Hulu in the US, and Disney+ in the UK, and is an enjoyable romp which benefits from two strong central performances and plenty of laughs.
Is it a bit predictable in places? Heck yeah; but the interactions between Awkwafina and Sandra Oh make this movie fun.
Awkwafina plays things fairly straight, making a refreshing change from her usual comedic performances, while Sandra Oh ramps up the laughs stealing multiple scenes at every opportunity. Oh is hilarious as Anne’s dysfunctional sister, Jenny, and watching Awkwafina and Oh play off of each other gives the movie a great deal of energy.
The film is also loaded with many likeable performances from the likes of Will Ferrell and Jason Schwartzman, as well as a fun turn from Holland Taylor as Anne’s irritating next door neighbour. Taylor only appears in small sections of the film, but she makes a nice addition.
Tony Hale also appears in the film very briefly as a quirky hotel manager, complete with Benjamin Franklin cosplay. It’s an odd role, but it works, and it adds more fun to the film.
And then there’s a quick cameo from the late Paul Reubens. He appears in what is his final screen role, and it brings a neat little touch.
Overall, Quiz Lady could do with a few more stand-out scenes, as well as maybe a slightly shorter runtime, but irrespective of this it is good stuff. The film has a lot of heart, a playful tone, and an easy-to-follow story.
Quiz Lady offers up some simple fun, that asks little of its audience but delivers plenty of enjoyment. The finale is also delightful and it may even raise a tear for those who become invested in the story.
If you’re looking for something to relax to this weekend, Quiz Lady could be the answer.
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