Quiz Lady - A Hulu Movie Review

Don’t worry about winning - have fun.

After competing in a game show, Quiz Lady is a 2023 Hulu film. Anne is a lifelong fan of her favorite game show, Can’t Stop the Quiz. Caught in a predicament where she owes money, Anne and her sister travel to Philadelphia to compete.

What do game shows mean to people? Quiz Lady is a comical and surprisingly heartwarming film. Aside from encouraging viewers to take a step out of their comfort zone, Quiz Lady is more about the bond between two siblings.

Awkwafina and Sandra Oh made a memorable comedic team as Anne and Jenny Yum. Both actresses have had versatile careers in the film world. Sandra Oh is a talented actress but I have not seen her in enough comedy roles. I actually didn’t recognize her in her first appearance!

Anne and Jenny are total opposites. Anne prefers a simple life while Jenny can’t hold a job down. Going on this wild adventure helps their bond grow. Other than being the queens in comedy, Awkwafina and Oh did an excellent job in building their sibling relationship to make it feel real.

Terry McTeer is my favorite Will Ferrell role in a long time. Ferrell’s roles are hit or miss for me, depending on what he is cast in. He does a noteworthy job in Quiz Lady. As the game show host, Terry is funny and sincere. That’s the most important part if anybody ever met their idol for the first time.

Quiz Lady has a road trip storyline. Road trip premises always appeal to my interest. With the exception of traveling to new destinations, these storylines are attributed to meeting different characters. Anne and Jenny meet quirky characters along the journey and in the studio.

Holland Taylor plays Francine, Anne’s next-door haughty neighbor who dislikes any noise or mistaken packages on her doorstep. Supporting credits include Jason Schwartzman, Tawny Newsome, Jon ‘Dumfounded’ Park, Angela Trimber, and Tony Hale. This film also recognizes the final appearance of an 80s comedic actor.

Director Jessica Yu and writer Jen D’Angelo create a fresh story with realistic portrayals of themes and the pacing is done well. Quiz Lady succeeds with comedy. This is a funny movie! There were moments when I laughed out loud. The comedy is where viewers will have mixed opinions.

Background comedy, banter, and visual gags were my favorite moments of comedy throughout the film. Just watch the background in Jenny’s intro and you’ll be laughing. The getting high scenario was unnecessary and slowed down the story.

Quiz Lady emphasizes the importance of game shows and what they mean to people. I have never been that interested in game shows, but watching this movie gave me a new idea about them. Game shows give us something to do, test our minds, and it’s family time for some.

Think about your favorite game. How has this game challenged you? As I watched Quiz Lady, it made me think about the reason why I take part in movie trivia challenges. Other than learning new facts we also meet new people and learn teamwork.

Go after your dreams. It's daunting but you never know what you'll achieve. Most importantly, don’t worry about winning and have fun. Quiz Lady represents the importance of self-confidence, emphasizing the notion that we should always believe in ourselves.

Check out Quiz Lady streaming on Hulu. We haven’t had an original film like this in a long time. It’s an entertaining and heartwarming movie. Watch it on your next Friday night if you’re looking for a comedy.