Date Night

Finally a comedy! The most recent film I saw was an epic comedy starring two of America's television favorites in which the audience was able to watch their comedic talents brought to the silver screen. After seeing the outrageously hilarious antics of Steve Carell and Tina Fey in "Date Night," I left the theater with a smile on my face after experiencing an hour and a half of pure enjoyment. Whether you are fans of either "The Office" or "30 Rock", these comedic geniuses starred as the chaotic yet relatable couple of Phil and Claire Foster. What was meant as a night out to zest up the relationship of a married couple stuck in the tasks of their every day lives as parents at a restaurant in the city lead to just that in an unexpected way. A strange sequence of events lead the couple along a crazy journey that ultimately changed not only themselves but their marriage as well. The movie left the audience laughing out loud and relating to the many trials facing such married couples in today's society. Lets take a look at some of my own critiques from the film.

The Good: For a comedy, there is an abundant amount of good in this comedic treasure. Many comedies face a life or death battle in today's box office markets because it is often too easy for comedic films to flop on the big screen. This is why I so greatly enjoyed this film. When a good comedy finally makes its way for us all to enjoy and experience laugh after laugh, it is such a treat. The stars of this film brought their signature comedic acts into fresh and believable roles as a typical suburban married couple facing common struggles after having kids such as mundane days at work and lack luster romance stuck in one's every days comforts. The story had a well constructed narrative in that they developed the story of the starring couple well. They showed a good portion at the beginning of the film in how their every day tasks left them unsatisfied yet complacent and how they were scared for their marriage because of such aspects. As they watched their friends in the process of getting a divorce, they realized that many of their problems were many of their own even saying, "we have just become really good roommates." As the film continues, all the crazy antics of the night bring the couple face to face with the problems within their marriage in a comical yet compassionate manner. All the issues they faced were relatable and left the audience with that feel good feeling at the end. There were countless scenes which left me literally laughing out loud in embarrassment. A few of my favorites included when Phil threw up after a high risk chase in which Claire says that its embarrassing how out of shape they are but Phil remarks, " No I'm just scared." Another was when they walked back into the hip restaurant to find a phone number dressed absolutely ridiculous. I don't think I even heard what they said because I was so distracted by their hilarious appearance, mainly Steve Carell. Who could forget the getaway of Phil and Claire in the slow moving boat across the river. And of course during the high speed chase, the cab drivers screams brought the entire audience to tears of laughter. Not only did the two main characters have great performances but Common and Mark Walberg turned out great performances as well. For the younger audiences, it was especially fun to see Leighton Meester in such a different role apart from her spot on Gossip Girl. What I was also excited to see was one of my favorite comedians in the film as well, Kristen Wiig. I will always have a great mental picture of Steve rocking that green track suit and the hysterical dance moves of Phil and Claire in the strip club. I also give congrats to the director as I loved the camera angels used throughout the film. The opening scene was absolutely perfect as the haggard couple attempts to get out of bed in the morning. With an elongated shot from the hall, the couple is framed perfectly as the words Date Night come to the screen. The color lens used was perfect and the scenery was a perfect fit for such a night. The hip pad of Mark Walberg, the scandalous and grimy setting of the strip club and the perfect little white house of Phil and Claire served as key ties throughout the film.

The Bad: I do have a few criticism about this comedy. One was the actual chemistry of the on screen couple. Having Steve Carell and Tina Fey as the stars of this film was an absolute perfect casting, however, them being in love with one another was very unbelievable. No one could have done the roles better, however, seeing them as a married couple was unrealistic because they lack any real chemistry. The film would have benefitted if that aspect was different. One aspect that was very unexpected was the poor acting of James Franco and Mila Kunis. Overall, their segment made the film unrealistic and their comedic lines were typical and overplayed. The scene in the film that involved the two of them actually made the film worse.

The Ugly: Excitingly, I could not seem to find any ugly in this film. The film was definitely not flawless but there were no horrific aspects that brought the entire film spiraling down.

Overall, if you are looking for an hour and a half of good laughs and just simple enjoyment, this is the movie for you. It is lighthearted and overall a feel good movie that leaves the audience wanting more. It is a film that spans all age ranges as well. For all those couples on date night, Date Night is the movie to see. I give this movie a B.