Melissa McCarthy gets dumped by her husband in "Life of the Party." Her reaction? Go back to college. Because this is a comedy, she returns to the school where her daughter (Molly Gordon) is finishing her senior year. McCarthy manages, as usual, to rise above this not very creative material. I suspect she ad libs most of the funniest moments. A few casting touches help, such as SNL's Heidi Gardner as Melissa's mole-like roommate, and an obviously older actress who explains her presence with a story about an eight-year coma. Maya Rudolph appears as Melissa's best friend, providing a little more of the chemistry she had with McCarthy in "Bridesmaids." I laughed, but I'm looking forward to a time McCarthy manages to break out of what looks like a creative rut. "Life of the Party," rated "PG-13," 2 stars. Does it deliver what it promises? Melissa McCarthy softball. Is it entertaining? I laughed. Is it worth the price of admission? Late night cable fodder.
