HORRIBLE BOSSES (2011) (a review)

HORRIBLE BOSSES (2011) (a review)

A black comedy starring Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston, Colin Farrell, Jamie Foxx.

The story: three guys hate their bosses and make an agreement to kill each other bosses. However, after doing some recon, one of the bosses kills one of the other bosses and now they the chief suspects in a police investigation and while trying to get the killer boss to admit to what he did they he now is after them to knock them off as well.

Was it good?

Not really. The problem is that the central idea -- these three guys wanting to commit murder -- just wasn't funny. The best parts are when the bosses are being abusive. The three main characters were annoying. So I wasn't rooting for the main guys and I wanting rooting for the bad guys and that means I was just kind of there.

That said it wasn't horrible. If you get into the concept or are a fan of any of the actors maybe you'd be able to get into it more than I did. The movie keeps moving and they work in plenty of jokes. I just wasn't into it. So for me I can't recommend paying theatrical money, but would tell people that are interested to check it out on video.

*** RENTAL ***

THE SWITCH (a review)

THE SWITCH (a review)

A comedy with Jason Bateman and Jennifer Aniston about wrongful insemination. Yes, that's what they are using as a plot device for romantic comedies now. The screenplay is by Allen Loeb whose script, Things We Lost in the Fire topped the black list a couple years ago and has been one of the hottest writers in Hollywood ever since.

The story: Wally is in love with Kassie, his best friend who doesn't love him. Then she decides she wants a child so she gets this random guy to give her sperm, but as the incemination party Wally gets drunk and upset and switch his sperm for the random guy. Cassie moves away, then moves back six years later with her son who is a lot like Wally, but she thinks random guy, whose marriage has fallen apart and is now single, is the father. So Cassie has Wally babysit her neurotic son while she starts seeing random guy until she is ready to marry random guy and Wally has to tell her the truth -- that he is her son's father -- knowing it will ruin their friendship.

Was it good?

No. I'm not a huge fan of romantic comedies anyway (although there are plenty I do like, starting with When Harry Met Sally). Here I just didn't find anything really likable or interesting about the main characters. I can sympathize with Wally, in love with a girl who doesn't love him and not wanting to risk their friendship, but in all other ways he really seems like a jerk. And Cassie is just kind of a flaky girl who comes off a being a flake. It happens all the time of course, but for me the fictional story of the girl who is best friends with a guy and doesn't realize the guy likes her makes the girl look dumb. I mean, girls do realize guys don't just hang out with girls to be friends, right? Guys don't need girls to be friends with -- they have friends...guys are their friends. And there isn't really anything else interesting about her. What does she want? Well, at the beginning she wants a kid, which at least is something, but once she comes back into town she wants...nothing really. She is just the girl in the love triangle. She doesn't even seem to specifically want a relationship or a real father for her child. The romance is just something she gets thrown into. Because of all that I found I didn't really care if they got together or not. In fact, as the story goes on and Wally waits and waits to tell her, all the while spending more and more time with the kid, I thought they should NOT be together.

That isn't to say there aren't some nice moments here and there. Loeb definitely has a style that makes this better than dreck, but the lack of caring and lack of depth (this movie isn't really about anything other than making a romantic comedy -- it ultimately isn't really saying anything about dating or friendship or parenthood, etc) make this movie a pass for me.

*** AVOID ***