* *

(Gross, vulgar

attempt at comedy)

Whatever happened to that sweet, young, full-bodied lady on TV’s “Mike and Molly?”

Melissa McCarthy has decided that playing a gross, vulgar, foul-mouthed, overpowering woman is the path she wants to follow. “The Boss” is the latest R-rated attempt at comedy that falls flat on its face.

McCarthy plays Michelle Darnell, the 47th wealthiest woman in America, who made her fortune in insider trading. After five months in prison, she returns to the streets of Chicago, penniless and without any friends.

Her former secretary, Claire (Kristen Bell), whom she treated horribly, takes her in. Darnell attends Claire’s daughter’s Dandelions troop and takes over their cookie operation, renaming it Darnell’s Darlings and selling brownies for big profits.

The great actor Peter Dinklage has an embarrassing role as her former lover turned business rival, who covets her successful business venture.

The stupid movie is filled with R-rated language (there’s nothing worse than seeing teenage girls shouting obscenities) and cat fights. Add lots of yelling and put-downs, and you have a very obnoxious movie. One particularly vulgar scene deals with men involved in sexual perversion.

But wait…There is a quasi-social-redeeming moral to the story. Poor Michelle is the way she is because she was abandoned as a child and never had anyone to love her. She finally realizes the importance of family and finds redemption. Ughh!

If you haven’t had enough, stick around for the credits and a few dumb outtakes.

Rated a big R for lots of profanity, sexual perversion and drug use.