‘Blu-ray or Bust’
GAME NIGHT (2018, R, 100
minutes, AGGREGATE FILMS/WARNER BROTHERS)
Comedies of late have been a tad un-funny.
The most recent and horrifying examples being needless sequels (DADDY’S
HOME 2, BAD MOM’S CHRISTMAS), terrible casting choices (FATHER FIGURES), and
downright stupid scripts (SUPER TROOPERS 2).
Thankfully, GAME NIGHT is here to save the genre from inane mediocrity and
blatant stupidity. The film centers
around a group of friends who gather once a week to play games like Scrabble
and Charades. Their latest game night,
however, is highjacked by the brother of one of the friends; Brooks (Kyle
Chandler) hires an agency that puts on murder mystery parties to try and one-up
his second-best brother Max (Jason Bateman), only the game becomes real when
real goons show up and kidnap Brooks.
Hilarity—literally—ensues.
The script is well-written, the jokes well-timed and executed by perfectly
cast actors. Mr. Bateman is his usual,
capable self, proving again that any film with him in the leading role is more
than likely a safe bet. Michael C. Hall
of “Dexter” fame turns in a sinister performance, and Rachel McAdams is
especially good in her role as Max’s wife Annie. Jesse Plemons turns in a particularly creepy
and awkward performance as neighbor/ex-game night participant Gary, and Lamorne
Morris has a masterful delivery, not to mention a face and body language that
accentuate every funny line he has.
But the scene stealer here is cinematographer Barry Peterson. What this man does with camera angles and action
sequences is nothing short of masterful.
There are several scenes which come to mind, but one in particular (it
involves our heroes playing “hot potato” with a Faberge egg) is executed so
seamlessly and with such fluidity that you wonder how the directors could
afford such talent. His brilliant eye is
the bonus character in this production; from the obvious gameboard-like setups
to the wheel’s-eye view of the road, he gives a genre film a poetic and
original boost that should make other cinematographers jealous. Seriously, he’s that damn good.
This film also contains what could be THE GREATEST opening and closing
credits montages in recent memory.
Honestly, there is more original production work here than in a normal Hollywood
comedy, and clearly sets it above your typical fare. The meticulous attention and care put into
the entire work shows you how seriously the producers (one of which was
Bateman, under his production company Aggregate Films) and studio took this
material.
One of the best things about the script is that not one single person gets
the best laughs; the jokes are layered throughout each character’s
storylines. From friends Kevin (Lamorne
Morris) and Michelle (the gorgeous Kylie Bunbury from “Under the Dome”) arguing
over which celebrity she slept with, to Sarah’s (Sharon Horgan) unfortunate
pairing with doofus Ryan (Billy Magnussen), there are plenty of funny moments
to go around. Mr. Bateman has always
been a whip-smart comedic actor, with an eye for the hysterically mundane (if
you haven’t seen his amazing directorial debut BAD WORDS, go watch it) (like,
RIGHT NOW).
The opening titles alone make this a must-see in the digital format. The music and action also make the purchase
on Blu-ray important, as you will not get the same fluid effects out of a
regular DVD. The only unfortunate thing
concerning the release is the special features; you get a making-of doc and a
gag reel, and that’s it. Seems a bit
lean for the increased production value of the film itself—surely the team at
Aggregate have more to say about this comedy’s behind-the-scenes than this, no
matter how funny the gag reel is.
Mr. Bateman’s next project is season two of “Ozark” for Netflix, another of
his have-to-watch projects. Indeed, if
he continues on this current streak, just go see everything he is attached to. He could be the smartest actor in Hollywood
at this moment.
Film Grade: A-
Special Features: C
Blu-ray Necessary: Most definitely
-- T.S. Kummelman
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