The good news is that funnyman Steve Carell and comedienne Tina Fey have wonderful on-screen chemistry. The bad news is that their latest action comedy is not as hilarious as one would have hoped. This is not to say that the movie is bad, it’s just that when you put two of the most famous comedians of our time together, you expect to see more comedy than car crashes. “Date Night,” directed by Shawn Levy (“Big Fat Liar,” “Night at the Museum”), lived up to the action aspect, but it was low on the laughs.?
The film centers around married couple Phil and Claire Foster, played respectively by Carell and Fey. The couple live in New Jersey with their two young kids leading pretty normal lives. They go to work, spend time with the kids, go to book club meetings and go on the occasional date, which is always at the same restaurant where they order the same things. Out of sheer desire for a bit of excitement, the two decide to go to a hip seafood restaurant in Manhattan called Claw. Predictably, the restaurant is completely packed. However, when a couple named Tripplehorn miss their reservation, Phil makes a ballsy move and takes the reservation.
While enjoying their dinner (where Will.I.Am makes a little cameo), they are interrupted by a mobster duo (played by Common and Jimmi Simpson) who accuse them of being the Tripplehorns and of stealing from mobsters. They try to go the police for help, but the no-nonsense detective (Taraji P. Henson) puts them off. From there, things go south and the Fosters embark on a search to find the real Tripplehorns.?
On their way to find the Tripplehorns (played by a hilarious James Franco and Mila Kunis), the Fosters need someone to help them while the police look for them. Out of desperation, they go to Halbrooke Grant (Mark Wahlberg), a past detective with enough technology to fill up Best Buy. Wahlberg is hysterical as the always shirtless, perfectly muscled Halbrooke, a ladies man with an obvious dislike for Carell’s character. His part in the film always guaranteed a few laughs, but it was not enough to propel the film forward.?
The goofy twosome makes a lot of jokes in the middle of the nightmare, but the film is clouded down with the gravity of their situation. Their humor is more anxious side than mocking and joking. The film focuses too much on the everyday problems of marriage, especially after the Fosters have a book club meeting with a couple that they know, played by Kristin Wiig and Mark Ruffalo. When they discovered the two were getting a divorce, it gets their attention and prompts them to do something exciting for once.?
But the movie isn’t all about marital struggles and slumps — it’s about action, too. There are guns, fast cars and a pretty epic car chase through the streets of Manhattan. JB Smoove (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”) makes a hilarious appearance as a taxi driver caught up in the chase. Another funny scene is when Phil admits to having a momentous crush on Cyndi Lauper — at any stage in her life. In addition, Phil forgets Will.I.Am’s name and calls him a number of things, from Sam I Am, to the King of Siam.?
Still, while the chemistry of Carell and Fey is marvelous on screen, it does not translate to the jokes. Perhaps Fey and Carell have too similar of style to work together, but this film just isn’t the vehicle to display the comedic prowess they both possess. It is obvious that there was a lot of ad-libbing on both their parts, which shows the true and awkward nature of their comedic styles. Perhaps this is in part because the script, written by John Klausner (“Shrek the Third”), is just not their style at all.?
“Date Night” isn’t a bad movie. But considering the all-star cast, the film had endless possibilities to be a real knockout in every way. But hey, if you still need to see some action comedy, just save your money from “Cop Out” and go see this movie instead.?
“Date Night” opens everywhere April 9.?
You can reach this staff writer at ydesta@theeagleonline.com.
