We got a gem and a let's say a couple of karats on a ring with a couple of comedies last year with The Big Sick and Girls Trip respectively. There has not been much creative success with many comedies as filmmakers and writers go for the same joke or push the joke a little too far. I was not as crazy about Girls Trip as much a lot of people but I bought the friendship between the four and Tiffany Haddish's comedic performance bumped it up a notch. But, the raunchy humor was a bit too filthy at certain points for my taste. However, I was craving for a comedy that can make me laugh almost throughout and finally, we got one and as far as I'm concerned, this may be one of the few funnier comedies in recent years.
Max (Jason Bateman) and Annie (Rachel McAdams) formed a relationship and got married after meeting each other at a competitive game night. However, in the present day, they are having problems conceiving a child, which may attribute to Max being stressed. Annie figures that Max is stressing over the fact that Brooks (Kyle Chandler), his older, successful brother is coming to visit later.
Later that night, the couple's friends arrive compiling of: Childhood sweethearts Kevin and Michelle (Lamorne Morris and Kylie Bunbury) and dim-witted Ryan (Billy Magnussen). Ryan brings an equally unintelligent woman with him as his friends point out he always lose because he brings dumb girls with him. After a sneaky entrance to their house, Max's and Annie's ploy is unfortunately ruined because of Brooks' Stingray pulls up which is painfully obvious to Gary (Jesse Plemons), the divorced next-door neighbor, who is obviously hurt because Max and Annie lied to him for not having a game night. Later on during the nigh, Brooks invites all of them to his house the following week.
During the next game night, everyone shows up to Brooks' spacious and nice house but not it is including Ryan's new woman, Sarah (Sharon Horgan), who is significantly smarter than the rest of the girls he brought in the past. During the game, kidnappers break in and start attacking Brooks and is eventually taken. However, everybody else thinks that it is a part of the game so they figure out some clues to get Brooks back intact.
I laughed a lot almost throughout the entire movie because it is balanced with humor with a bit of sophistication and silliness that does not push the envelope of making the audience feel stupid. It is like they are persuading the audience to go along the ride with them and solve this real murder-mystery and it is quite clever, even if you do not know that this is real. Even though I knew some of the jokes are a bit predictable, I could not help but laugh but there at times the jokes do not land. During this mystery, there was a bit of a twist that I did not see coming that I felt sympathetic towards the character and it makes sense.
Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams have great chemistry together as this is Bateman's best comedy in a long time and I have been waiting for a good funny performance. Yes, I liked Horrible Bosses very much but he did not shine as much compared to his other co-stars. And, also, it was refreshing to see McAdams in a comedy again after many dramatic roles and let loose with all the action as his equal in solving the case. It is sort of a buddy comedy between them as they exchange some good lines. Billy Magnussen is quite funny as his idiocy does not get the best of him. Lamorne Morris is solid as he gives a hilarious Denzel Washington impression. And, Jesse Plemons as the seemingly isolated and deceiving Gary who is hard to predict whether he is antagonistic or shrewdly good with some skeletons in his closet. But, there is a right amount of screen time with his character that is on the edge of comedic gold.
Directors Jonathan M. Goldstein and John Francis Daley have a mixed bag of credits for mostly their screenwriting with a fantastic Spider-Man: Homecoming and raunchy but edgy Horrible Bosses. But, their other comedies: Vacation and The Incredible Burt Wonderstone were such duds that they both become nearly unbearable to watch. This may be their best work as both directors and screenwriters as they find almost the perfect balance of comedy and action to go along for the fun ride with a good structure, some surprisingly great cinematography, direction (there's a long take that was solid), acting and a nice touching ending that ties up all loose ends. This was a big surprise that I did not see coming and if you are craving for a very good R-rated comedy, Game Night rolls the dice and pays off.
***1/2
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