It took me a while to figure out that Sean wasn't playing a trans person but just playing a woman. Not unheard of for someone to play another gender, but it did take a while. That said after I got it straight I settled in and rolled with it and it was pretty funny. Many wonderful actors and a quirky vibe all its own.
42 Reviews
Cute and Short
Neon_Gold17 June 2020
This movie isn't going to be like some ground breaking, life changing movie. It's a indie comedy.
It's totally fine. Is it the funniest thing ever? No definitely not. Are there some laughs scattered through out? Yeah.
I thought Sean Hayes was fine in this role. Sometimes the lines were a bit naff but then other time's they were funny. I think it was the delivery that help the lines out.
Not tons happen in this movie so people could get board.
I used this word a lot in this review but my perfect way to describe it is "fine".
It's totally fine. Is it the funniest thing ever? No definitely not. Are there some laughs scattered through out? Yeah.
I thought Sean Hayes was fine in this role. Sometimes the lines were a bit naff but then other time's they were funny. I think it was the delivery that help the lines out.
Not tons happen in this movie so people could get board.
I used this word a lot in this review but my perfect way to describe it is "fine".
Quirky Sense
GigilocC8 April 2020
I understand the premise way too well. Unmotivated, unrealistic expectations for yourself, and then reality kicks in and it too late to fix the lost years that got away. Has its funny moments but the script was lacking, a little in backstory, as to the how she ended up with such a dreadful, meaningless life.
If You Knew Susie
drednm6 April 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Oddball comedy/drama stars Sean Hayes as the middle-aged Susan, a lethargic slug of a woman who's on unemployment and is behind in her rent. She sits around all day long doing nothing and mooches money off her mother.
She has a dysfunctional family although she seems to be its main dysfunction. Brother is a doctors assistant and mama is a hypochondriac. Her best friend is a bit loony and together they have a flute and ukulele "band." Susan also has an old school rival, Velvet (Allison Janney), who works at the local K-Mart.
One day, a man in a truck rear ends her at a stop light, and so he becomes her boyfriend. Suddenly, Susan's life changes. Everything is fine until she discovers he is married. Susan goes back into her funk until a crisis forces her to take charge of her life and make some changes.
Hayes is excellent. He does nothing to enhance his female character. Susan is not a drag queen, but a frumpy woman in bad clothes and with bad hair. Janney is good as Velvet as is Margo Martindale as mama. Kiel Kennedy plays the brother and JIm Rash is the odious boyfriend. Matthew Broderick makes a cameo as the landlord.
Funny and touching in an odd way.
She has a dysfunctional family although she seems to be its main dysfunction. Brother is a doctors assistant and mama is a hypochondriac. Her best friend is a bit loony and together they have a flute and ukulele "band." Susan also has an old school rival, Velvet (Allison Janney), who works at the local K-Mart.
One day, a man in a truck rear ends her at a stop light, and so he becomes her boyfriend. Suddenly, Susan's life changes. Everything is fine until she discovers he is married. Susan goes back into her funk until a crisis forces her to take charge of her life and make some changes.
Hayes is excellent. He does nothing to enhance his female character. Susan is not a drag queen, but a frumpy woman in bad clothes and with bad hair. Janney is good as Velvet as is Margo Martindale as mama. Kiel Kennedy plays the brother and JIm Rash is the odious boyfriend. Matthew Broderick makes a cameo as the landlord.
Funny and touching in an odd way.
Wanna-be Quirky Comedy Misfires on All Cylinders
muffintoprescue7 April 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Susan is a middle aged middle-American woman who has resisted employment or any form of life success for her entire life. That's it, that's the plot.
"Lazy Susan" wants to be a quirky movie about unlikable characters whom we come to like by the end of the movie, but it never quite hits the marks in any way, shape or form. Hayes stars as the titular Susan, a choice that never quite lives up to its intent. He plays the character straight-forwardly: she's a cis woman, not trans, nor are we ostensibly supposed to laugh because the woman character is played by a cis man actor. So what's the reason for the casting in the first place, then?
Nothing about Susan is likable: she's not just lazy, she's rude, self-centered and crass. Yet the writing and acting never take her quite toward 'quirky' enough to make her interesting. Likewise, the characters around her - a mean brother, an enabling mother, an accepting best-friend - are not fleshed out enough for us to understand their motivations.
By the end of the film we've come to understand that Susan became the way she is because no one in her life ever made her feel special, and the act of kindness from a virtual stranger seems to light enough of a spark in her to put together the bare minimum to become a functioning adult, but it happens in the course of the last five minutes with such randomness that it feels hollow.
Also the occasional gross out humor feels so misplaced that it's jarring.
The movie isn't good, and it's hard to pinpoint why other than that it tries so hard to be something that it's not, yet at the same time isn't anything at all.
"Lazy Susan" wants to be a quirky movie about unlikable characters whom we come to like by the end of the movie, but it never quite hits the marks in any way, shape or form. Hayes stars as the titular Susan, a choice that never quite lives up to its intent. He plays the character straight-forwardly: she's a cis woman, not trans, nor are we ostensibly supposed to laugh because the woman character is played by a cis man actor. So what's the reason for the casting in the first place, then?
Nothing about Susan is likable: she's not just lazy, she's rude, self-centered and crass. Yet the writing and acting never take her quite toward 'quirky' enough to make her interesting. Likewise, the characters around her - a mean brother, an enabling mother, an accepting best-friend - are not fleshed out enough for us to understand their motivations.
By the end of the film we've come to understand that Susan became the way she is because no one in her life ever made her feel special, and the act of kindness from a virtual stranger seems to light enough of a spark in her to put together the bare minimum to become a functioning adult, but it happens in the course of the last five minutes with such randomness that it feels hollow.
Also the occasional gross out humor feels so misplaced that it's jarring.
The movie isn't good, and it's hard to pinpoint why other than that it tries so hard to be something that it's not, yet at the same time isn't anything at all.
Oddball quirky comedy
hifiman-6227029 June 2020
I thought this was actually quite a funny movie. I didn't realise the states had people who sat home all day on benefits...but was genuinely funny. Brief and different. Not sure what people expect....for some reason I just kept thinking of Napoleon dynamite. Had that feel to it
Lazy writing.
adamjohns-4257513 April 2022
Lazy Susan (2020) -
I feel like this is just a film to prove that anyone can play anyone, that is after all the job of an actor, but nobody complained when Eddie Redmayne played Stephen Hawking instead of an actor who actually has ALS and that's because he did it well and suited the role. There does seem to be a lot of discussion surrounding this lately though.
I believe that Warwick Davies is a champion for Dwarf roles for Dwarf actors and there are people saying that gay roles should go to gay actors. Personally I am still upset that Will Truman (Eric McCormack) was not played by a gay man in 'Will & Grace', but only because I fell in love with him all those years ago and thought that we would become lovers if I ever moved to America. It could still happen?
I believe in the best person for the job, no matter what, so it's a shame that this particular film wasn't a better made, more mainstream film to get that point across and while I like Sean Hayes usually, I'm not sure that this is his best work or that he was the right one for the role. The outfits he wears as Susan certainly aren't flattering. It might work better if his look was less dowdy. I don't however feel that he wasn't playing a woman, I just didn't feel that this was the best production to show the versatility of actors and that no one should be guaranteed a part just because they were born or grew to be one way or another, if that was indeed what they were going for. There are too many female actors out there to list that I think would have been a better Susan.
I think that the film is actually supposed to be a bit ridiculous and in this it excels, but not really in a good way, but oddly enough, it is inoffensive.
In some ways it's like watching Jack from 'Will & Grace' if he didn't have Will and Karen to back him financially and was a female, because Sean doesn't really come across as a different character.
Essentially the story doesn't lead anywhere, it's more of a snapshot of Susan's life, which doesn't have anything going for it, which means that there isn't really anything exciting happening for the viewer.
I've said a lot that is down on the film, but it does have a certain something to it that I can't quite put my finger on. Let's put it this way, I didn't turn it off and I do feel that I might return to it again some day, but I have no immediate plans to revisit it at this time. I will see how my life plays out and what my memory tells me or emotes in me when I am next presented with an opportunity to view it again and make the decision then.
470.91/1000.
I feel like this is just a film to prove that anyone can play anyone, that is after all the job of an actor, but nobody complained when Eddie Redmayne played Stephen Hawking instead of an actor who actually has ALS and that's because he did it well and suited the role. There does seem to be a lot of discussion surrounding this lately though.
I believe that Warwick Davies is a champion for Dwarf roles for Dwarf actors and there are people saying that gay roles should go to gay actors. Personally I am still upset that Will Truman (Eric McCormack) was not played by a gay man in 'Will & Grace', but only because I fell in love with him all those years ago and thought that we would become lovers if I ever moved to America. It could still happen?
I believe in the best person for the job, no matter what, so it's a shame that this particular film wasn't a better made, more mainstream film to get that point across and while I like Sean Hayes usually, I'm not sure that this is his best work or that he was the right one for the role. The outfits he wears as Susan certainly aren't flattering. It might work better if his look was less dowdy. I don't however feel that he wasn't playing a woman, I just didn't feel that this was the best production to show the versatility of actors and that no one should be guaranteed a part just because they were born or grew to be one way or another, if that was indeed what they were going for. There are too many female actors out there to list that I think would have been a better Susan.
I think that the film is actually supposed to be a bit ridiculous and in this it excels, but not really in a good way, but oddly enough, it is inoffensive.
In some ways it's like watching Jack from 'Will & Grace' if he didn't have Will and Karen to back him financially and was a female, because Sean doesn't really come across as a different character.
Essentially the story doesn't lead anywhere, it's more of a snapshot of Susan's life, which doesn't have anything going for it, which means that there isn't really anything exciting happening for the viewer.
I've said a lot that is down on the film, but it does have a certain something to it that I can't quite put my finger on. Let's put it this way, I didn't turn it off and I do feel that I might return to it again some day, but I have no immediate plans to revisit it at this time. I will see how my life plays out and what my memory tells me or emotes in me when I am next presented with an opportunity to view it again and make the decision then.
470.91/1000.
Great Movie
nurseeamonn4 June 2020
Another terrible comedy trying way too hard to become a cult film
gargantuaboy11 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This will not be a particularly deep review considering I could not get through a solid 30 minutes of this mess. Sean Hayes for one reason or another is playing a woman named Susan. From what I saw this was not even addressed but maybe it comes up as some sort of plot device later on maybe...
Sean Hayes playing another unfunny character that it looks like he came up with in some improv class in the 80s perhaps. He plays Susan a bored and depressed woman who seems to do nothing all day but sleep and cut out pictures in magazines she steels from other people's mail and makes collages out of them. Her entire family is getting tired of her laziness and demands she get a job.
I turned it off at this point because I just could not take it. Dreadfully unfunny and just boring. It's as if the film was made to be strange and weird and develop some kind of cult following.
Pass on Lazy Susan.
Sean Hayes playing another unfunny character that it looks like he came up with in some improv class in the 80s perhaps. He plays Susan a bored and depressed woman who seems to do nothing all day but sleep and cut out pictures in magazines she steels from other people's mail and makes collages out of them. Her entire family is getting tired of her laziness and demands she get a job.
I turned it off at this point because I just could not take it. Dreadfully unfunny and just boring. It's as if the film was made to be strange and weird and develop some kind of cult following.
Pass on Lazy Susan.
Normally a Sean Hayes fan but....
boycies4 June 2020
Quirky comedy
ellybendi24 June 2020
The male playing a female thing I didn't get at first. By the end you kind of forget about it as it really is irrelevant. I'm glad I didn't let the reviews put me off.
Although not a belly- laugh type of comedy, it has a good mix of funny, poignant and philosophical elements. There isn't much of a story, but again, the point of the film is Susan's journey and growth as a person.
I recommend if you like quirky & unusual films with an interesting message.
Although not a belly- laugh type of comedy, it has a good mix of funny, poignant and philosophical elements. There isn't much of a story, but again, the point of the film is Susan's journey and growth as a person.
I recommend if you like quirky & unusual films with an interesting message.
Lazy Susan may help you with your own lazy ways.
ElijahCSkuggs16 April 2020
Raise your hand if you're a bit of a lazy bum. Everyone gets a bit lazy from time to time. You neglect some task, you can put off some goal, you can forget about picking up your kids; we all get a little lazy and for the most part, it's not that big of a deal. Unless you're lazy like Susan. Don't be a lazy Susan.
What we have here in Lazy Susan is a Sean Hayes vehicle that shows us a pretty extreme version of a lazy (and very selfish) individual. We follow a woman named Susan go about her daily life, which is basically sighing and doing the bare minimum while at the same time prioritizing herself in almost any given situation. To piggyback that we also see Susan constantly screw things up, and we also see her deal with the unfortunate road-bumps life throws her way. We see her attempt to do things the right way and, for the most part, we just watch her struggle. And as is usually the case for most of us, all that struggle is usually related to her being just a Lazy Susan.
The kicker with Lazy Susan is that it's an oddly relatable tale that should strike home with people who tend to be lazy and/or selfish. I know I can be my own worst enemy at times and make that idiotic decision which will no doubt negatively affect my life. And this here little weird gem of a flick reminded me of my occasional lameness.
Self-loathing reminders aside, the film also succeeds fantastically with Nathan Hayes' performance as Susan. I'm no fan of Will & Grace (I think I may have seen a couple?) but from what I gather from Nathan is that he's one helluva an actor. He brought so many little nuisances to this role that I'm convinced he's more proficient at playing a female character than most female actresses. For a quirky indie comedy, he knocked it out of the park.
Lazy Susan seems to be getting a bunch of flack and yeah, I suppose it is a bit of a crowd-splitter. I mentioned how it could be a reminder of your own inadequacies but another aspect that may be bothering folks is that Nathan's Susan is quite the spectacle, and her antics can be overwhelming. As well, the comedic aspect here, while absolutely consistent, may not work for everyone. I thought it was a nice blend of outrageous and deftly subtle. So, with all that said, take a look in the mirror and stop using your belly as a plate ya lazy goodfernuthin.
What we have here in Lazy Susan is a Sean Hayes vehicle that shows us a pretty extreme version of a lazy (and very selfish) individual. We follow a woman named Susan go about her daily life, which is basically sighing and doing the bare minimum while at the same time prioritizing herself in almost any given situation. To piggyback that we also see Susan constantly screw things up, and we also see her deal with the unfortunate road-bumps life throws her way. We see her attempt to do things the right way and, for the most part, we just watch her struggle. And as is usually the case for most of us, all that struggle is usually related to her being just a Lazy Susan.
The kicker with Lazy Susan is that it's an oddly relatable tale that should strike home with people who tend to be lazy and/or selfish. I know I can be my own worst enemy at times and make that idiotic decision which will no doubt negatively affect my life. And this here little weird gem of a flick reminded me of my occasional lameness.
Self-loathing reminders aside, the film also succeeds fantastically with Nathan Hayes' performance as Susan. I'm no fan of Will & Grace (I think I may have seen a couple?) but from what I gather from Nathan is that he's one helluva an actor. He brought so many little nuisances to this role that I'm convinced he's more proficient at playing a female character than most female actresses. For a quirky indie comedy, he knocked it out of the park.
Lazy Susan seems to be getting a bunch of flack and yeah, I suppose it is a bit of a crowd-splitter. I mentioned how it could be a reminder of your own inadequacies but another aspect that may be bothering folks is that Nathan's Susan is quite the spectacle, and her antics can be overwhelming. As well, the comedic aspect here, while absolutely consistent, may not work for everyone. I thought it was a nice blend of outrageous and deftly subtle. So, with all that said, take a look in the mirror and stop using your belly as a plate ya lazy goodfernuthin.
Call me an optimist
jtrosen24 January 2021
I watched this movie until the end, hoping that the lead character would do something redeemable, but this movie isn't about that... It's about watching a detestable character do detestable things. I was a little confused at first, since a man is playing Susan. I wasn't sure if she was trans or what... but no, it turns out it's just a dude playing a woman's part. If there's any humor in the movie, a lot of it comes from a guy playing a woman. The rest is just the pathetic, unlikeable main character irritating her family and taking advantage of the few friends she has. It isn't witty at all. I guess you could call it quirky, but not in a smart or fun way. If you thought "Married With Children" was a lot of laughs, this will probably appeal to you.
A brain-off film
Gordon-1124 January 2021
Train wreck
geoffreybarker11 May 2020
With the talented actors in the film, I expected better. This movie was an absolute disaster. I wish I would have seen the IMDB meta score and critical reviews before wasting $6 renting the movie. Don't waste your time.
So bad it's sort of good?
ivantheeditor9 December 2022
It's like it was supposed to be bad... so does that mean that they nailed it? The fact that a dude is playing a woman and the whole thing is not at all explained anywhere in the movie and everyone acts as if it really is a woman... I can't. I mean, that's funny!
Allison Janey - my favorite! She should have had a lot more scenes in this!!
But Susan... oh, Susan. What can we say about Susan. The sad part is that I know people like that in real life so it's not even just a character in a movie. This is literally a documentary about someone's life.
But let's be real. If you see the poster or the trailer you pretty much know what you're getting yourself into. Don't be disappointed if you get a B-rated trashy comedy. That's what this was intended to be.
Allison Janey - my favorite! She should have had a lot more scenes in this!!
But Susan... oh, Susan. What can we say about Susan. The sad part is that I know people like that in real life so it's not even just a character in a movie. This is literally a documentary about someone's life.
But let's be real. If you see the poster or the trailer you pretty much know what you're getting yourself into. Don't be disappointed if you get a B-rated trashy comedy. That's what this was intended to be.
A Cheer up for Bad Corona Days
Turgut_Belen9 April 2020
Susan wasn't what I expected to be as far as personality because she is a she-male. Not a crossdresser.
No offence here, since I don't care about anyone's choice of the way they want and, like to live. It may take awhile for some viewers to get used to her. After all, her purpose here in this movie is to entertain.
My only suggestion is that, you don't watch her with your kids (language).
Horrible movie!
panorama9224025 December 2020
I was prepared to like this movie because Sean Hayes was in it. The acting was horrendous and the story line was NOT funny at all. No wonder this TURKEY was never released to the theaters. According to box office mojo it made ZILCH so it was never released. Susan was unbelievable as a character. Does anyone really act like that and get away with it? I wasted over 90 minutes of my life on this junk that I will never get back!
Should have been a home run but
ritera112 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
...was very regular. Good cast. Decent direction. Should have been something Sean Hayes could run wild in.
Very perplexing as he apparently played a trans but saw no evidence of such. I saw him playing a woman. The character was suppose to be a woman.
Very perplexing as he apparently played a trans but saw no evidence of such. I saw him playing a woman. The character was suppose to be a woman.
Refreshing!
gadawag11 June 2020
How on earth did this get funding?
jboss-902-37061315 September 2020
Whoever gave it an 8 must have been paid
sephannabardo10 November 2020
This was horrific. Absolutely the dumbest and cringiest scenes. It was so bad you almost can't look away. I'm not sure what's worse the acting in this movie or the fact that someone actually wrote this script and produced it.
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