Film Review: MAGGIE MOORE(S): Jon Hamm and Tina Fey are Perfect in a Film That Ultimately Lacks Punch [Tribeca 2023]

Maggie Moore(s) Review

Maggie Moore(s) (2023) Film Review from the 22nd Annual Tribeca Film Festival, a movie directed by John Slattery, written by Paul Bernbaum and starring Jon Hamm, Tina Fey, Nick Mohammed, Oona Roche, Allison Dunbar, Tate Ellington, Christopher Denham, Happy Anderson, Sewell Whitney, Peter Diseth, Gabriela Alicia Ortega, Micah Stock, Nicholas Azarian, Jodi Lynn Thomas, Crystal Mayes, Bryant Carroll, Bobbi Kitten and Derek Basco.

John Slattery could have made his latest movie, Maggie Moore(s), about a relationship between a police chief (Jon Hamm) and a quirky, good-hearted nosy woman (Tina Fey) but, instead, Slattery decided to throw in a crime plot which is one of the most disappointingly silly ones of recent years. The unique title of the film is supposed to hook the viewer in and it does set up one of the movie’s several plot twists but, overall, Maggie Moore(s) is an example of two good performers being caught up in a mundane story line which is too elaborate and too inane, simultaneously.

It’s uncomfortable to discuss the plot of the movie which is cringe worthy in certain instances, especially for light-hearted fare such as this. Micah Stock plays Jay Moore whose wife Maggie Moore discovers he is up to no good. Really bad stuff is happening and Jay enlists Kosco (Happy Anderson, reminding the viewer of a cross between Zach Galifianakis and Jack O’Halloran) to put a cork in Maggie’s mouth, so to say. Instead, she dies a grueling death. There is another Maggie Moore in town; hence the film’s title. This leads to more death and more unbelievably disappointing plot twists.

This movie relies on ridiculous plot developments such as a life insurance policy that comes into view through an interview with an airhead (Bobbi Kitten). The picture is full of creeps and weirdos such as Tommy T (Derek Basco) who doesn’t do anything to help Jay have an easier life which leads to the deaths of the two Maggies.

Hamm’s character,  a widower named Jordan Sanders who likes to write, adds some dignity to the movie through Hamm’s charismatic work. Fey serves as Rita who has some information about one of the deceased Maggie Moore’s unfortunate situations. A romance blossoms between Jordan and Rita. A hilarious scene has Hamm and Fey talking about having “the sex” in a hotel room together. These two stars share some witty banter that is terrifically energetic. It’s clever and fun. The rest of the movie is not.

A problem with the film is its overuse of bubbly characters who have no sense of reality. Take for instance a convenience store clerk (Oona Roche) who tries to get a character to get the rewards her store offers in an unrealistic way. This clerk would most likely not go out of her way to give her customer all the information she does in the film. She’s merely a movie character, not a realistic character, and for a movie that opens promising that some of this story actually happened, too many characters in this picture ring entirely false.

Nick Mohammed is good, though, as Jordan’s partner but even a talent as bright as Mohammed seems to be looking for better material to associate his talents with. Christopher Denham, as a man named Andy, falters in his role here as the second Maggie’s husband. Too many Maggies and too many Moores will ultimately leave viewers wanting much “more” in return.

While this is not a good film on the whole, the chemistry between Fey and Hamm is undeniably on point and makes one yearn for the two performers to have more screen time together. The time they do share in the movie is the highlight of the picture. Fey is charismatic, funny and wise just like the actress. Hamm adds a certain level of respect to his dignified character which makes us like him a lot.

I can see Vengeance and/or Fargo as inspirations for Maggie Moore(s). Perhaps, the filmmaker saw neither film (doubtful) but it’s easy to get an idea of the vibe that the director, Slattery, was going for. The movie is saturated with characters who are mean-spirited and cruel to behold. The plot twists can only do so much to sustain interest in joyless scenarios that do little to entertain the viewer.

That being said, magic happens between Hamm and Fey in this movie. If you can find a way to watch their sweet and sharp scenes together on their own, do so. Fey’s Rita has an ex in the movie who gets in the way of her relationship with Hamm’s Jordan. That’s an example of something believable and we watch our characters get through difficulties like this while hoping they ultimately get together. In the final analysis, Maggie Moore(s) would have been better if it had just been about them rather than about many of the other dim-wits who inhabit the town the film is set in.

Rating: 5.5/10

Leave your thoughts on this Maggie Moore(s) review and the film below in the comments section. Readers seeking to support this type of content can visit our Patreon Page and become one of FilmBook’s patrons. Readers seeking more Tribeca Film Festival news can visit our Tribeca Film Festival Page, our Film Festival Page, and our Film Festival Facebook Page. 

Readers seeking more film reviews can visit our Movie Review Page, our Movie Review Twitter Page, and our Movie Review Facebook Page. 

Want up-to-the-minute notifications? FilmBook staff members publish articles by Email, Feedly, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, Reddit, Telegram, Mastodon, and Flipboard.