Date Night (C or 2/4 stars)
Want the perfect date night movie to watch? Well, I can't say 'Date Night' (directed by Shawn Levy) is perfect. But it'll do. Phil & Claire Foster (Steve Carrell, Tina Fey) are a seemingly happily married couple who've been lulled into a 'wake up, dress, feed the little ones, eat, go to work, come home, eat with the kids, undress, go to sleep' lifestyle. The most intimate thing they'll do (forget sex) is go out for their own date nights; but those are treated more as chores than anything else. But after hearing about the possible break-up of 2 of their friends (Mark Ruffalo, Kristin Wiig), the tired, complacent Phil gets a wake-up call & decides to take Claire out for a more exciting venture: a trendy Manhattan restaurant (one where a lengthy in-advance reservation is necessary). While waiting at the bar for a table they'll never sit at, they overhear the hostess calling for 'The Tripplehorns'. Figuring that said Tripplehorns have left, Phil audibly steals their seat.
The 1st few minutes go swell for them. That is until we realize why the real Tripplehorns weren't there. A couple of glowering bad guys arrive to retrieve a 'flash drive' from who they think are the Tripplehorns (Phil & Claire). Buy they clearly don't obtain any flash drive. Hold ups, chases, & all other form of redundant, mind-numbing action sequences commence. The Fosters figure their only path to safety is to get that flash drive from whoever the real Tripplehorns are (James Franco, Mila Kunis). Problem is, if they get the drive, do they hand it over to the police (who harbor a plentitude of corrupt cops), the DA (William Fichtner), or a mob boss (Ray Liotta)? For dire help, the Fosters go to a spacey ex-secret ops man named Holbrooke (Mark Wahlberg) - who never wears a shirt (much to Claire's liking). Phil & Claire may die on their date night. But one thing is for sure, it would be the most dangerous, yet thrilling evening they'd ever had.
Pfshh. 'Date Night' is an okay, if forgettable movie. The most you'll ever remember is that 2 of TV's hottest deadpan comedians, Carrell & Fey, were in it. Maybe you'll remember Mark Wahlberg's shirtless supporting turn. I don't know. I was intermittently amused (sometimes busting out in laughter), but I was mainly underwhelmed. See, the film starts well in the domestic setting. The 1st half of the Manhattan dinner-go-wrong is funny. Carrell & Fey interact well (and often). But then, once the action elements begin (chases, shootouts & awful car crashes), the plot takes a bit of a nosedive & the humor becomes heavily strained for effect. Carrell & Fey opt for silly humor (repeating stupid punch lines like 'killshot!' everytime someone points their gun at them sideways). In other words, some of the shrill humor involves the duo spouting catchphrases that are funny (on paper), but not 'haha' funny in execution. AT ALL.
I've read fellow critics who say that the plot for this film is very similar to the abysmal 'Bounty Hunter'. Shocking enough, that is more true than not. Good thing this film is about 20 min. shorter & contains 2 stars who can supersede the bland action with genuine chemistry & laughs. Throw in fleeting moments of genius with Wahlberg, James Franco (hysterical), Mila Kunis (also great), & Taraji P. Henson, & you've got a marked improvement from that former film. And STILL, 'marked improvement' is a glorified term, here. Overall, I can't not recommend 'Date Night' since it's not 'awful' & it's very conception is for couples to get out of their house & watch it AT the movie theater (for an evening out). But I sure wasn't wild about it, either. It's fine, but forgettable. Even my dad, who liked it, said, "Well, I can't remember anything about it, either". And it's probably my least favorite Steve Carrell film, yet. Well, there is 'Get Smart', isn't there?
The 1st few minutes go swell for them. That is until we realize why the real Tripplehorns weren't there. A couple of glowering bad guys arrive to retrieve a 'flash drive' from who they think are the Tripplehorns (Phil & Claire). Buy they clearly don't obtain any flash drive. Hold ups, chases, & all other form of redundant, mind-numbing action sequences commence. The Fosters figure their only path to safety is to get that flash drive from whoever the real Tripplehorns are (James Franco, Mila Kunis). Problem is, if they get the drive, do they hand it over to the police (who harbor a plentitude of corrupt cops), the DA (William Fichtner), or a mob boss (Ray Liotta)? For dire help, the Fosters go to a spacey ex-secret ops man named Holbrooke (Mark Wahlberg) - who never wears a shirt (much to Claire's liking). Phil & Claire may die on their date night. But one thing is for sure, it would be the most dangerous, yet thrilling evening they'd ever had.
Pfshh. 'Date Night' is an okay, if forgettable movie. The most you'll ever remember is that 2 of TV's hottest deadpan comedians, Carrell & Fey, were in it. Maybe you'll remember Mark Wahlberg's shirtless supporting turn. I don't know. I was intermittently amused (sometimes busting out in laughter), but I was mainly underwhelmed. See, the film starts well in the domestic setting. The 1st half of the Manhattan dinner-go-wrong is funny. Carrell & Fey interact well (and often). But then, once the action elements begin (chases, shootouts & awful car crashes), the plot takes a bit of a nosedive & the humor becomes heavily strained for effect. Carrell & Fey opt for silly humor (repeating stupid punch lines like 'killshot!' everytime someone points their gun at them sideways). In other words, some of the shrill humor involves the duo spouting catchphrases that are funny (on paper), but not 'haha' funny in execution. AT ALL.
I've read fellow critics who say that the plot for this film is very similar to the abysmal 'Bounty Hunter'. Shocking enough, that is more true than not. Good thing this film is about 20 min. shorter & contains 2 stars who can supersede the bland action with genuine chemistry & laughs. Throw in fleeting moments of genius with Wahlberg, James Franco (hysterical), Mila Kunis (also great), & Taraji P. Henson, & you've got a marked improvement from that former film. And STILL, 'marked improvement' is a glorified term, here. Overall, I can't not recommend 'Date Night' since it's not 'awful' & it's very conception is for couples to get out of their house & watch it AT the movie theater (for an evening out). But I sure wasn't wild about it, either. It's fine, but forgettable. Even my dad, who liked it, said, "Well, I can't remember anything about it, either". And it's probably my least favorite Steve Carrell film, yet. Well, there is 'Get Smart', isn't there?