Review: Natasha Lyonne and Judy Greer can’t save far-fetched ‘Addicted to Fresno’

Shot in Los Angeles and with only the barest visual and thematic nods to the location in the title, “Addicted to Fresno” could take place virtually anywhere. But that’s only one of this scattershot comedy’s many inconsistencies.

Directed with something less than a firm grip by Jamie Babbit (“But I’m a Cheerleader,” “The Quiet”) from a supremely silly, occasionally amusing script by Karey Dornetto (TV’s “Portlandia”), the film follows codependent sisters Martha (Natasha Lyonne) and Shannon (Judy Greer) as they attempt to cover up an accidental killing.

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Martha’s the responsible optimist, Shannon’s a cranky narcissist. Martha’s a lovelorn lesbian, Shannon’s a sex addict and registered sex offender. They both work as housekeepers at a generic motel, which is where said killing occurs as a result of an epic misstep by Shannon. Suffice to say, reporting the crime is not an option.

With a dead body on their hands, Martha and Shannon end up at a pet crematorium that will dispose of the corpse for a cool 25 grand, which, of course, the sisters don’t have. With the clock ticking, they attempt to raise — OK, steal — the funds in a series of dopey maneuvers including robbing a sex shop and purloining a brash bar mitzvah boy’s booty. A meeting of the Flat Earth Society would feel more credible.

Greer and Lyonne are deft comic actors, and they make the most of their frantic parts. Supporting players Aubrey Plaza, Ron Livingston, Molly Shannon, Malcolm Barrett and others are also fun. But beyond a few nice closing emotional beats, the whole enterprise plays too desperate and slapdash to whip up the goodwill required to sell such thin, far-fetched material.

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“Addicted to Fresno”

MPAA rating: None

Running time: 1 hour, 25 minutes.

Playing: Sundance Sunset, Los Angeles. Also on VOD.