DATE NIGHT (English/18PL)Genre: Comedy/Action
Release Date: 8 April 2010
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Running Time: 89 minutes
Director: Shawn levy
Producers: Shawn Levy
Writers: Josh Klausner
Casts: Steve Carell, Tina Fey, James Franco, Taraji P Henson, Mila Kunis, Mark Wahlberg
Plot: JClaire and Phil Foster (Tina Fey and Steve Carell) are a suburban couple slogging through their daily lives and marriage. Even their 'date nights' of dinner and a movie have become routine. To reignite the marital spark, they visit a trendy Manhattan bistro, where a case of mistaken identity hurtles them through the city at breakneck speeds, into non-stop adventure. Remembering what made them so special together, Phil and Claire take on a couple of corrupt cops, a top-level mobster - and a crazed cabbie - as their date becomes a night they'll never forget.
THE VERDICT
When you pair up two biggest TV stars from two different sitcoms that are so big, you can't get anythinh wrong than been a miss. Yes, Tina Fey and Steve Carell are two big stars but their Date Night is not that awesome anyway. It does not miss, but it does not hit either. Why would I say so when everyone thinks it is awesome anyway?
Date Night tells the story of a married couple whose domestic life has become more or less a routine. Realizing a need to reignite their romance, Phil (Carell) takes Claire (Fey) to a trendy restaurant but ended up can't get a table. Phil decides to take a reservation from a no-show couple, the Tripplehorns. Later, all hell breaks loose when they get entangled in fugitive chase by some organization who wants them death for stealing a high value properties. How could that turn out to be?
Relating to my first question - the movie does not have a solid storyline for an action thriller that meshed up with some elements of romance. One, the script goes very complicated at first but sort of very much predictable at the later stage. For instance, we got ourselves been constantly bombarded with who is this mysterious Tripplehorn couple is but later it turn out that things are pretty much in order at the first place. Two, the dialogue been too cheesy and at times can go very irrelevant to the story. The problem is there are some jokes which are not funny at all and totally a recycle from one of their sitcoms. Three, the movie does not have a consistent pace or tone. There are scenes of action were quickly cut off and the level of intensity can be killed off easily. next thing you know, a new stuff occur.
Although it sounded like a cheap and non-sense story line, but let's assured you that from the point of an audience, no matter how predictable or how cheesy it is, the movie is saved by its total fun and enjoyable story. You want intense, you got it. You want crap jokes, you also got one. I do not say that the script is poorly written but in fact the elements of action piece and the comedy are very inclined to each other. That makes the story very bizzare yet entertaining. Luckily, there is an equal share of actions, love story and some unrealistic humours.
Pairing Tina Fey and Steve Carell could not go any wrong. Both are very good comedians that has a respectable reputation. In fact, they worked well and their chemistry could never go anyway wrong. Throw in some supporting roles, like the Tripplehorns (James Franco and Mila Kunis), the dirty cops (Jimmi Simpson and Common) or even muscular security expert (Mark Wahlberg), the whole story becomes completely wild and interesting. They do not have to tell you that they are funny but seeing how well they interacts as a unit is pretty engaging. A bonus for the casting.Action sequences are timely coordinated and very well presented. The problem comes when at times, it tries too hard to push beyond the comfort zone. It's not wrong but at times, the sequences of what it is supposed to be laughter becomes really stupid. Remember The Pink Panther 2? Sort off but there still work. For such, Date Night can be really fun and entertaining, but suffer a wildly ridiculous and average looking plot.
THE RATING:
Story - 3.0 stars
Casts - 4.0 stars
Cinematography - 3.5 stars
Effects - 3.0 stars
OVERALL - 3.0 stars
GREEN-TEA-O-METER: 13.5