LeBron James is getting rave reviews for his acting in Trainwreck
LeBron James’s summer got off to a rough start, carrying the Cavaliers’ backups to the NBA finals before losing to the Warriors. Things are looking better, though, now that the rave reviews for LeBron’s performance in the Amy Schumer comedy Trainwreck have started rolling in.
James plays an altered version of himself, and in more than just a cameo role. He certainly looked pretty funny in the trailer and critics agree that his performance translated to the full film.
“James is the funniest person” in the movie that features comedy veterans Bill Hader, Colin Quinn and Mike Birbiglia, along with the rising star Schumer, Ian Crouch wrote in The New Yorker. The Washington Post’s Ann Hornaday wrote that James “delivers lines about topics including “Downton Abbey” and splitting a lunch check with expert, deadpan timing.”
• Judd Apatow talks about directing James in Trainwreck
USA Today’s Brian Truitt couldn’t pass up the cliche and called James’s role “a slam dunk.” In her review for The Los Angeles Times, Rebecca Keegan said LeBron’s “performance reflects impressive off-court timing and a sense of humor about his own image.”
LeBron also drew high praise from Schumer.
“I think he's all set right now employment-wise, but I can say with full confidence that I believe he could have another career in acting if he wanted,” Schumer told Entertainment Weekly. “It's really not fair. Judd, Bill, and I, we're just funny. That's our only thing. He's like, ‘Okay, so am I, but I'm also the best basketball player in the world.’”
The movie also enjoyed a box office boost thanks to LeBron’s presence. According to Vanity Fair, ticket sales in Cleveland were 66% higher than anticipated.
- Dan Gartland
