Another Fictional U-M Grad: Melissa McCarthy in Ghostbusters

Submitted by BursleyHall82 on

There's a new member of the Fictional U-M Grad Club, joining President Marshall in "Air Force One," Ari Gold in "Entourage" and everybody in "The Big Chill."

In the new all-female "Ghostbusters" movie, Melissa McCarthy's character, Abby Yates, is a Michigan grad. (Forgive the Freep link.)

http://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/movies/2016/07/18/michigan-ref…

Go Blue, Melissa.

901 P

July 18th, 2016 at 9:03 PM ^

I thought it was pretty good. It may depend on your expectations--I didn't go in with particularly high hopes, and I don't have super strong nostalgia for the original (I saw it as a kid and liked it, but I don't feel like a re-boot somehow ruins it). It had the obligatory shout-outs/call-backs/cameos, which I don't think add a whole lot. Some pretty funny lines, and some funny interactions between the main characters. 

Not to veer off into the (broadly) political, but it was nice to see a movie with female characters in the traditionally male roles. We brought my two sons (ages 10 and 8) and their two friends, so it was a group of 4 pre-teen boys. They all seemed to like it. I especially liked Kate McKinnon's character and I imagine there are a lot of young women watching the movie who are going to think that she is pretty bad-ass. 

GoWings2008

July 18th, 2016 at 8:59 PM ^

As long as you're not expecting it to be anything like the original. I'm a traditionalist and was offended they even attempted making a reboot. But I'll give it a chance just because the cast is a funny group in their own right. But they'll never equal the original... But I'm told they aren't trying to.

gmoney41

July 19th, 2016 at 1:12 PM ^

I was fortunate to get free tickets.  Thank god because it was a pretty average movie.  Pixels-esque.  Not as bad as the haters say and not as good as the big fans of it are saying.  It had a few laughs, uber cheesy special effects and they lost the tone and feel of the original.  Wait to DVD or Netflix it.

901 P

July 18th, 2016 at 8:57 PM ^

I just saw it tonight and I noticed it on her bio as well. Makes sense with Paul Feig as director. For those of you who liked "Freaks and Geeks" there are a couple of actors from the series who have very small roles in the movie. 

ElBictors

July 19th, 2016 at 10:44 AM ^

Yep, this ....MICHIGAN LAW School, not undergrad.

That new show (which looks pretty terrible also) with Ted Danson seems to have the main character as a UM Law Alum as well.

But don't forget perhaps the best fictional UM Alumnus from Hollywood (or was it undergrad at Faber College and Law School at UM?) ...a crooked politician in bed with Tony Soprano -- Assemlyman Zellman from NJ.

ElBictors

July 19th, 2016 at 7:17 PM ^

Oh, he's just the stereotypical out of state kid from Jersey who goes to Michigan and then gets into business with the mob ...and the belt-whipping was because of a woman, not his alma mater!

But there is that line when Tony says something like, "I don't know ...you went to Michigan, you figure it out!"

 

ElBictors

July 19th, 2016 at 10:43 AM ^

I wouldn't call her "one of the worst" but I would say she has really one character and one sort of joke and it gets old pretty early into whatever movie she's in.  She was better in Bridesmaids with a subordinate role ...her feature films start to get long about 50mins into them.

L'Carpetron Do…

July 19th, 2016 at 2:33 PM ^

I love Danny McBride but yeah he is pretty one dimensional.  Actually I thought McCarthy was a little different in this one (but not all that much different).

I was pretty disappointed in Vice Principals too.   And the second episode of The Night Of.  I was pretty psyched for that one because I thought the first one was so good.

Sam1863

July 18th, 2016 at 9:23 PM ^

Per House Wiki: Gregory House was accepted into the University of Michigan's Medical System on a provisional basis while waiting out the appeal period at Johns Hopkins. During his time at UM, House spent most of his time hanging around the university bookstore, where he eventually met a young undergraduate named Lisa Cuddy.

The Mad Hatter

July 18th, 2016 at 9:36 PM ^

And it's not a good sign when the previews to a comedy don't even elicit a chuckle. I don't care that they made a "girl power" Ghostbusters movie. I care that they made one without the original cast. RIP Mr. Ramis /I work very hard on this lawn. Please GTFO of it.

kehnonymous

July 18th, 2016 at 11:54 PM ^

I've heard it was alright.  

I personally wasn't going to see it for the same reason I don't see 95% of all other movies but either way it's hardly more deserving of scorn and rancor than the 234140124 other remakes/reboots we'll see this year.  There've been several summer flicks starring an ensemble of men with varying body sizes, cuteness and acting talent and none of these ruined anyone's life.  The same will hold true for Ghostbusters 2016

MGozer

July 18th, 2016 at 11:57 PM ^

I saw it last night, and I didn't notice what Melissa McCarthy's character's alma mater was (maybe I missed it).  But in one scene you do clearly see Kristen Wiig's character with a umich diploma.

Given some of their back-story, it's possible both characters went to UM.

Blue4U

July 19th, 2016 at 12:39 AM ^

Tim Allen's current sitcom.  He's a partner/advertising guru for Outdoor Man (similar to bass pro stores) who fictional, graduated from Michigan.  An odd twist has his wife graduating from OSU.  Leads to some rvialry banter every once in  a while.  Pretty good show from what I've seen

Sam1863

July 19th, 2016 at 5:31 AM ^

"The West Wing's" Leo McGarry had a reply to Notre Dame grad Jed Bartlet on the eve of the game that deserves to be included:

Bartlet: "You didn't say 'Michigan sucks'?"

Leo: "No, sir."

Bartlet: "I thought you said 'Michigan sucks.'"

Leo: "No, sir. We're standing pretty close to the engines so it may have sounded like I said, 'Notre Dame is gonna get the ass-kicking they so richly deserve.'"