Movie Review: Game Night

It wasn’t so long ago that hard R-rated comedies were coming out every week. The Hangover (2009) seemed to come out of nowhere and rejuvenate the genre to blockbuster heights. In the years following we got the likes of Bad Teacher (2011), Hot Tub Time Machine (2010), This is the End (2013), two more incredibly unfunny Hangover sequels (2011/2013), and Horrible Bosses (2011). There were many more of course, but it’s that last one that draws a tie to the latest hard R-rated comedy attempting to hit the zeitgeist. Horrible Bosses came out in the summer of 2011 when we were bombarded with blockbusters like Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, X-Men: First Class, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and Transformers: Dark of the Moon. The comedy was a huge success for the studio as it entertained audiences without over-sensitizing them.

Flash forward almost seven years later and you’ll notice Warner Bros. attempting to do the same exact thing. The writers behind that film are in the director’s chair for Game Night, and they brought Horrible Bosses lead Jason Bateman with them to try to recreate that same sensation. How convenient that the movie comes out one week after the blockbuster Black Panther. Much like Horrible Bosses, Game Night will give audiences an entertaining time at the theater with plenty of laughs and hi-jinx, even when the plot rattles out of control.

The initial set-up of Game Night is clever as it focuses on Max (Jason Bateman) and Annie (Rachel McAdams), a married couple who host weekly game nights with their friends. When they let Max’s brother, Brooks (Kyle Chandler), host the game night one week, things go from fun to worse to extremely bad as the stakes become real. The group initially thinks that the scenario is part of an elaborate murder-mystery-game, but they soon realize that they have gotten tied up with some not-so-friendly people.

Much like Horrible Bosses, Game Night’s set-up can be explained in one sentence. Instead of “Let’s have a group of friends try to kill their unlikable bosses,” it’s now “Let’s have a group of friends think they’re in a game night, but it’s actually real.” They can both be twisted into comedic situations, and John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, who were part of the writing team for Horrible Bosses, direct Game Night, are talented at keeping things light and fun even when lives are at stake. There are twists abound in both films, but it’s Game Night that really struggles with its plot surprises. The film twists itself too far and tries to keep throwing the audience for a loop so often that by the end of it all, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. The overall plot adds up, but when you start poking at the details, the whole thing starts to fall apart.

While Daley and Goldstein stretch themselves a little thin in the story department, thanks to a script by Mark Perez, they put their own flare and style onto the film while keeping things funny. There are a couple of cool and interesting shots that are not normally seen in a mainstream R-rated comedy, and they add to the film’s entertainment value. The pair also keep the jokes coming fast and furious. Again—while lives are at stake—you wouldn’t know it by how funny the characters are. There’s quippy one-liners, reoccurring jokes, and just great situational comedy that keeps things light and fun.

Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams in “Game Night.”

While the direction is important in a comedy, arguably the most important aspect is the cast. Game Night has a killer cast and all of them are given an individual moment to shine. Jason Bateman is one of the best comedic actors today because he can take the zany and wacky things that happen around him and make them relatable to the everyday man. His dry wit and charisma make him perfect for a comedy that threatens to often spin too out of control, as in Horrible Bosses. Rachel McAdams also seems to be having a blast in this movie as she is just as quick-witted as the rest of the cast and brings a charm to many of the scenes. The rest of the ensemble are all given their moments to show off their comedic chops, and they all kill it, especially Jesse Plemons. After seeing Breaking Bad, I didn’t know Plemons could be so funny, but he really is. (Side note: for Dexter fans out there, it is fun to imagine this movie as a sequel to that TV show where we get to see what Dexter has been up to since the show ended, as it’s great to see star Michael C. Hall again.)

Game Night might not be one of the most memorable comedies, but after most of last year’s comedies struggled to even be watchable, it’s good to see that this year is off to a good start. The film is very funny thanks to great direction and a talented cast, which keeps things entertaining while the plot goes out of control. Viewers may find that Game Night is much like an actual game night in that you’ll laugh and be entertained for a couple of hours, but come a week or two later, you’ll probably forget most of what happened. In an era where comedies sometimes struggle to be funny, I’d consider Game Night a success.

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Scott Davis

Scott Davis is a recent graduate of Oakland University where he earned a degree in journalism. He worked for the student newspaper on campus, The Oakland Post, where he became the paper's managing editor. He also earned a minor in Cinema Studies at OU. Scott enjoys all things film and TV related, especially the blockbuster kind. He might be the biggest Christopher Nolan fan you know.

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