Quiz Lady

Directed by Jessica Yu, Quiz Lady follows Awkwafina’s Anne Yum as she reluctantly agrees to appear on a trivia-based game show after gangsters kidnap her beloved dog. Filmmaker Yu, working from Jen D’Angelo’s screenplay, delivers a slightly erratic yet mostly entertaining endeavor that benefits from its appealing premise and affable performances, with the latter certainly reflected quite keenly in the engaging efforts of Awkwafina and costar Sandra Oh, and there’s little doubt that the picture grows more and more compelling (and agreeable) as it unfolds. The watchable vibe is heightened by the inclusion of several genuine funny bits of comedy and a final third that packs an unexpectedly engrossing punch, and while the whole thing is, on the whole, a tad forgettable, Quiz Lady nevertheless comes off as a better-than-average star vehicle that’s enhanced by the palpable chemistry between Awkwafina and Oh’s respective figures.

*** out of ****