Adam Shankman’s Stop! That! Train! is the campy, queer and perfect spiritual successor to the legendary 1980 comedy Airplane!.
Director: Adam Shankman
Genre: Action, Comedy
Rated: R
Run Time: 92′
U.S. Release: June 12, 2026
U.K. Release: August 21, 2026
Where to Watch: In theaters
I remember the first time my parents sat me down to show me the 1980 cult classic Airplane!. Simply put, it was the funniest thing I had ever seen. With each rewatch, it cemented its place on my list of all-time favorite movies while simultaneously turning me into one of those people who says, “Why don’t they make movies like this anymore?”.
If you have ever thought similarly, it is my pleasure to inform you that with Stop! That! Train!, Adam Shankman has taken up the challenge and succeeded tenfold thanks to the brilliance of Jujubee, Ginger Minj and RuPaul Charles.
Stop! That! Train! opens on best friends Tess (Ginger Minj, of Hocus Pocus 2) and Deedee (Jujubee, of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars) contemplating all of the big plans they had when they first met in train stewardess school. Simply put, their life hasn’t been all it’s cracked up to be. The two girls dreamed of adventure and seeing the world, but instead got stuck working for a lowly commuter railway called Stank Rails.
However, when they show up for their routine shift, they get notice that Stank Rails has shut down and they are therefore out of a job. While the girls try to drown their sorrows at the train terminal bar, they overhear the glamorous stewardesses of the Glamazoian Express say they are short two stewardesses and the company is desperate for anyone to fill the vacant spots.
Tess and Deedee see this as their chance to finally live the life they’ve always dreamed of living and sneak onto the Glamazoian Express to pose as its replacement stewardesses. Little do they know, at the government-run national trainline headquarters, a low-ranking train traffic controller named Donna Dusk (Rachel Bloom, of The Devil Wears Prada 2) sees a disaster brewing.
The train Tess and Deedee have just boarded is headed right into a storm so violent it’s been given the title of a total stormaganza. While Donna tries to warn everyone, from her officemates to the President of the United States, Judy Gagwell (RuPaul, of RuPaul’s Drag Race), her concerns fall on deaf ears. The only people she is able to convince of the severity of the storm are Tess and Deedee, which means they are the only ones who can stop it.
Stop! That! Train! is the funniest movie you will see this year. It is chock-full of star-studded performances and moments that will have you genuinely laughing out loud as the story soars of it’s tracks. It leans into camp, absurdity and feels like the type of film that pulls out every stop imaginable to try to make sure its audience is having a good time.
Jujubee and Ginger Minj’s performances ground the film with an earnest sincerity rooted in their character’s friendship while never overplaying their hand. Brooke Lynn Hytes, Marty Lauter and Symone perfect the mean girl trio formula with their depictions of the real Glamazoian Express stewardesses skeptical of Tess and Deedee’s capabilities.
However, one performance stands out amongst the rest. RuPaul’s President Judy Gagwell is truly the gift that keeps on giving throughout the runtime of this film. Accented by a pitch-perfect performance by Matt Rogers as her press secretary, RuPaul portrays President Judy Gagwell with legendary poise, composure, and fierceness that makes you truly miss her character any minute she isn’t on the screen.
Writing team Christina Friel and Connor Wright deliver an unimaginable ratio of bits and jokes per minute, all while never having the film feel like it’s trying too hard to make you laugh. It hits every comedic beat, and the film’s ensemble underlines every joke with a perfect delivery. It’s been so long since I’ve seen a film this committed to making audiences laugh at every turn purely in the name of comedy and viewing pleasure. It feels like a breath of fresh air and a glimmer of hope for the legacy of absurdist comedies.
Stop! That! Train!: Movie Plot & Recap
Synopsis:
After two best friends get let go from their job as train stewardesses for an underwhelming railway, they manage to sneak onto the legendary Glamazoian Express in an attempt to see the world, not knowing a massive storm will push their training and friendship to the ultimate test.
Pros:
- RuPaul’s work as President Gagwell is truly a gift to cinema.
- Every single person in the cast rises to the occasion to perfect this comedy.
- Absurdist, spoof comedy is proven to be alive and well.
Cons:
- None to name.
Stop! That! Train! is now available to watch in US theatres and will be released in UK & Irish cinemas on August 21, 2026.