Film Review: Date Night

Originally published 3/05/10 in Student Direct: The Mancunion and 27/05/10 on http://www.cookiefilmfilm.blogspot.com/

It's been a rough night in suburbia.

3 Stars

 Director Shawn Levy’s attempt to break away from his signature kids films (Night at the Museum, The Pink Panther) with a slightly more adult approach to comedy, sees Steve Carell and Tina Fey starring as Phil and Claire Foster; a couple, that amidst a flurry of book clubs, school runs and early nights have lost that spark.
  Scared by the news of a close friends’ divorce, and determined to remain more than just "really great roommates", they decide to inject some spice into their jaded marriage via the great American tradition of "date night", however, ditching the usual routine of potato skins at the local steakhouse, in favour of a table at an up-and-coming restaurant in the city, isn’t as easy as it seems without a reservation. So, living vicariously, they decide to take another couple’s table. The Fosters are now the Tripplehorns (are you still with me?) but little did our couple know, the Tripplehorn’s delicious crab risotto comes with a side of, wait for it, danger. Sounds cheesy? It is. A classic case of "be careful what you wish for"; they wanted excitement, and in great cinematic tradition, boy do they get more than they bargained for.
  As it happens, The Tripplehorns (the real Tripplehorns, not our nice suburban duo) are petty thieves, petty thieves that stole a flashdrive from crime boss Joe Miletto. And Joe Miletto? He’s pissed. Pissed enough to send a couple of goons to "take care of" the Tripplehorns. And so the fun begins.
  Naturally, Claire’s first reaction is to seek help from an ex client; sexy, debonair (and eternally topless) security specialist Holbrooke Grant (played by Mark Wahlberg). Holbrooke, whilst delivering an opportunity for Claire to flirt entirely too much, and too brazenly for someone in the company of their husband, manages to track down the real Tripplehorns (who on earth uses their mobile to make a reservation when they’re hiding out?).
  A night of breaking and entering, shoot-outs, car chases, renegade cops and grand theft auto ensues as the Fosters attempt to reach the Tripplehorns and persuade them to return the flash-drive. They really, REALLY just want to get home.
  Suspended disbelief is a must when watching this film, as Fey and Carell manoeuvre themselves into increasingly ridiculous and entirely unbelievable situations, trying to right the wrong they made by stealing someone else’s reservation (a fact which no one seems to be able to get over). Is this some kind of Karmic justice gone awry? An over the top warning from those in the restaurant business? No. It’s a romantic comedy (of a kind) often clichéd, and full-to-bursting with stereotypes. This film falls between genres, too crude for children and not quite crude enough to masquerade as a funny guy film (think Seth Rogen and Judd Aptow). However, the supporting cast is phenomenal and Carell's role as the loving husband is apparent; the relationship between himself and Fey, believable, and the outlandish and improbable storyline manages to provide an exciting setting for the two to confront and settle their marital issues.

Verdict: Amongst the obvious gags is some witty and genuinely funny, laugh-out-loud dialogue (not to mention extremely disturbing, but hilarious attempts at erotic dancing; I’m pretty sure students everywhere will be doing the ‘sex robot’). Steve Carell and Tina Fey play, well, Steve Carell and Tina Fey, but they work well together, their on-screen chemistry translating to a likeable couple who you really will root for, and even if you don’t, it’s worth watching just to see Steve Carell say "zip your vagina" repeatedly.