If you take a look at the slate of movies released by Hollywood each and every year, it's easy to feel a particular sense of despair for the state of the studio comedy. Especially with the rise of streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon, there has been a serious dearth of quality comedic content over the last few years- and audiences are rarely willing to pay for an egregiously bad movie. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of funny films that debut each year. But the classic R-rated comedy is seemingly dying on the vine, and 2017 did the genre no favors. Advertised laugh-fests like Rough Night and The House crashed and burned, and Dwayne Johnson's Baywatch may have been the most disappointing of all. You have to go all the way back to August 2016 to find a high-quality raunchy comedy (Sausage Party, believe it or not), and the last truly great studio effort was probably The Lonely Island's brilliant Popstar.
I say all this for one simple reason- after a long couple of years, Hollywood's comedic losing streak is finally over. On the surface, Game Night doesn't seem like the kind of movie that would go down as a new comedy classic. It was released by Warner Bros. and New Line in late February, right in the immediate aftermath of Marvel's Black Panther, a juggernaut that no studio would want to face. It was billed as being from the creators of Horrible Bosses, which, well, isn't exactly saying much. And perhaps most of all, directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, the guys behind the Vacation reboot that virtually no one on the planet saw, were at the helm for this outing. It all seemed like we were headed for mediocrity, even after a great trailer. But that is so far from the case that it's almost staggering. In addition to being one of the most whip-smart, relentlessly funny movies in recent memory, Game Night is a twisty, visually inventive roller-coaster ride that surpasses expectations at every turn. After starting their career with a whimper, Daley and Goldstein have announced themselves as a truly dynamic pairing, equipped with the potential to be the next Lord and Miller. It's no wonder Warner Bros. picked them to direct The Flash.
Max (Jason Bateman) is one of the most hyper-competitive people on the planet, equipped with an encyclopedia-like knowledge of trivia and an intense spirit that can turn even the most light-hearted of games into a high-stakes endeavor. The only person who can match his type-A demeanor is Annie (Rachel McAdams), so obviously they get married and start a life together. They have a great group of friends (Billy Magnussen, Lamorne Morris, Kylie Bunbury), and each week they host a game night to quench their thirst for competition. There's only one problem- Max will forever feel inferior to Brooks (Kyle Chandler), his more attractive, successful older brother. His sibling jealousy is even affecting his ability to have kids, much to the dismay of Annie. With all this in the back of Max's mind, Brooks arrives at game night to shake up his life in more ways that one.
Brooks makes a proposition- let's do game night at my place, and we'll take it up a notch or two. Max reluctantly agrees, knowing that Brooks just wants to show off his ridiculously gorgeous home. But on game night, even though Max and company were promised a fast and immersive mystery experience, things get quickly out of hand. Brooks is in real danger- it's just that nobody else knows it. And from there, we embark on a comedic odyssey that feels equally choreographed and free-wheeling, a film that has a tangible spark of life in the way it tells an absurdly amusing story. There's real comedic and narrative momentum to everything that happens here, and bit milks its high-concept to the bitter end, maybe even going just a tad too far in the final moments. But there's something to be said for the way Game Night never settles for obvious improvisation or off-the-cuff vulgarity. There's nothing wrong with that style of comedy, but by working firmly in an action comedy mode, Daley and Goldstein have channeled a spirit of manic chaos while never losing sight of the objectives of each individual moment.
It helps when you have a comedy that is as visually engrossing as this one. From the opening moments, it's abundantly clear that there's something different about Game Night. Each location in the film is shot in a way that feels like a board game piece, a decision so unique that it's hard to really describe how it works in the context of the film. Nonetheless, it's the kind of inspired choice that elevates a good movie into something even more spectacular, which is a trend that emerges throughout the rest of the film. Daley and Goldstein, working with the blessing of astronomically low expectations after the failure of their Vacation reboot, prove themselves to be two masterful filmmakers in this genre. There's a tracking shot action scene that is just terrific, and the pacing is so gleefully relentless that it's impossible not to have a good time. It's easy to make the Lord/Miller comparison because of the surface level director duo concept, but Daley and Goldstein really do have a similar touch to those two filmmakers, and I can't wait to see more from them.
The screenplay comes courtesy of Mark Perez, the writer behind Disney "classics" like The Country Bears and Herbie Fully Loaded. The script is compact and effective, helping the movie come in at a nice 100 minutes and giving both the directors and the terrific cast plenty to work with. I think everyone knows how good Jason Bateman can be when given the right role, but seeing him in a movie like this is a perfect reminder of his greatness. He can walk the thin line between likable everyman and insufferable tool like no other comedic star, and he does so expertly throughout Game Night. Bateman is often wasted in these kinds of roles, but it helps that he's paired with Rachel McAdams, who is beyond brilliant as Max's peppy, but equally competitive partner in crime. Kyle Chandler knocks it out of the park as Brooks, further proving that he can do almost anything as an actor. Chandler has emerged as one of my favorite performers in recent years, and it's fun to see him let loose in a decidedly less serious role. Backing up the main trio, there's a plethora of unexpectedly delightful supporting turns, from Billy Magnussen and Sharon Horgan's hilariously unconventional couple to Jesse Plemons' deeply unsettling cop-next-door.
As a comedy hybrid of sorts, Game Night knows exactly when to land its action scenes and emotional beats- nothing feels out of place throughout its entire runtime. Daley and Goldstein push the madness right up to the edge, but they pull back just in time to stick the landing. The result is madcap fun, the perfect surprise in the early stages of 2018. I did not expect to find a truly great comedy from two outstanding directors in Game Night, but that's precisely what happened. This movie delivers, and it's an excellent reprieve from serious Oscar fare and the growing tide of big blockbusters. A great cast, a killer script, and two wickedly talented directors turn what could have been a forgettable February adventure into something of a must-see. From start to finish, this is a pure dose of entertainment- Game Night is just a blast.
THE FINAL GRADE: A (9/10)
Images: Warner Bros./IMDb
I say all this for one simple reason- after a long couple of years, Hollywood's comedic losing streak is finally over. On the surface, Game Night doesn't seem like the kind of movie that would go down as a new comedy classic. It was released by Warner Bros. and New Line in late February, right in the immediate aftermath of Marvel's Black Panther, a juggernaut that no studio would want to face. It was billed as being from the creators of Horrible Bosses, which, well, isn't exactly saying much. And perhaps most of all, directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, the guys behind the Vacation reboot that virtually no one on the planet saw, were at the helm for this outing. It all seemed like we were headed for mediocrity, even after a great trailer. But that is so far from the case that it's almost staggering. In addition to being one of the most whip-smart, relentlessly funny movies in recent memory, Game Night is a twisty, visually inventive roller-coaster ride that surpasses expectations at every turn. After starting their career with a whimper, Daley and Goldstein have announced themselves as a truly dynamic pairing, equipped with the potential to be the next Lord and Miller. It's no wonder Warner Bros. picked them to direct The Flash.
Max (Jason Bateman) is one of the most hyper-competitive people on the planet, equipped with an encyclopedia-like knowledge of trivia and an intense spirit that can turn even the most light-hearted of games into a high-stakes endeavor. The only person who can match his type-A demeanor is Annie (Rachel McAdams), so obviously they get married and start a life together. They have a great group of friends (Billy Magnussen, Lamorne Morris, Kylie Bunbury), and each week they host a game night to quench their thirst for competition. There's only one problem- Max will forever feel inferior to Brooks (Kyle Chandler), his more attractive, successful older brother. His sibling jealousy is even affecting his ability to have kids, much to the dismay of Annie. With all this in the back of Max's mind, Brooks arrives at game night to shake up his life in more ways that one.
Brooks makes a proposition- let's do game night at my place, and we'll take it up a notch or two. Max reluctantly agrees, knowing that Brooks just wants to show off his ridiculously gorgeous home. But on game night, even though Max and company were promised a fast and immersive mystery experience, things get quickly out of hand. Brooks is in real danger- it's just that nobody else knows it. And from there, we embark on a comedic odyssey that feels equally choreographed and free-wheeling, a film that has a tangible spark of life in the way it tells an absurdly amusing story. There's real comedic and narrative momentum to everything that happens here, and bit milks its high-concept to the bitter end, maybe even going just a tad too far in the final moments. But there's something to be said for the way Game Night never settles for obvious improvisation or off-the-cuff vulgarity. There's nothing wrong with that style of comedy, but by working firmly in an action comedy mode, Daley and Goldstein have channeled a spirit of manic chaos while never losing sight of the objectives of each individual moment.
It helps when you have a comedy that is as visually engrossing as this one. From the opening moments, it's abundantly clear that there's something different about Game Night. Each location in the film is shot in a way that feels like a board game piece, a decision so unique that it's hard to really describe how it works in the context of the film. Nonetheless, it's the kind of inspired choice that elevates a good movie into something even more spectacular, which is a trend that emerges throughout the rest of the film. Daley and Goldstein, working with the blessing of astronomically low expectations after the failure of their Vacation reboot, prove themselves to be two masterful filmmakers in this genre. There's a tracking shot action scene that is just terrific, and the pacing is so gleefully relentless that it's impossible not to have a good time. It's easy to make the Lord/Miller comparison because of the surface level director duo concept, but Daley and Goldstein really do have a similar touch to those two filmmakers, and I can't wait to see more from them.
The screenplay comes courtesy of Mark Perez, the writer behind Disney "classics" like The Country Bears and Herbie Fully Loaded. The script is compact and effective, helping the movie come in at a nice 100 minutes and giving both the directors and the terrific cast plenty to work with. I think everyone knows how good Jason Bateman can be when given the right role, but seeing him in a movie like this is a perfect reminder of his greatness. He can walk the thin line between likable everyman and insufferable tool like no other comedic star, and he does so expertly throughout Game Night. Bateman is often wasted in these kinds of roles, but it helps that he's paired with Rachel McAdams, who is beyond brilliant as Max's peppy, but equally competitive partner in crime. Kyle Chandler knocks it out of the park as Brooks, further proving that he can do almost anything as an actor. Chandler has emerged as one of my favorite performers in recent years, and it's fun to see him let loose in a decidedly less serious role. Backing up the main trio, there's a plethora of unexpectedly delightful supporting turns, from Billy Magnussen and Sharon Horgan's hilariously unconventional couple to Jesse Plemons' deeply unsettling cop-next-door.
As a comedy hybrid of sorts, Game Night knows exactly when to land its action scenes and emotional beats- nothing feels out of place throughout its entire runtime. Daley and Goldstein push the madness right up to the edge, but they pull back just in time to stick the landing. The result is madcap fun, the perfect surprise in the early stages of 2018. I did not expect to find a truly great comedy from two outstanding directors in Game Night, but that's precisely what happened. This movie delivers, and it's an excellent reprieve from serious Oscar fare and the growing tide of big blockbusters. A great cast, a killer script, and two wickedly talented directors turn what could have been a forgettable February adventure into something of a must-see. From start to finish, this is a pure dose of entertainment- Game Night is just a blast.
THE FINAL GRADE: A (9/10)
Images: Warner Bros./IMDb
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