Horrible Bosses

           Who has never had a job that they didn't hate or at least just not want to do for the rest of their lives? Plenty of you I'm sure, I know I have. Well, what about actually having a job you enjoy? Nice huh? Now how many of you have had a boss that you despise at a job you either hate or like? Makes that environment excruciating doesn't it? Makes the job you hate miserable and the job you enjoy suck. This situation is one many people out there can relate to, and is the plot line behind the movie Horrible Bosses.
           In Horrible Bosses, Jason Bateman (Couples Retreat), Charlie Day (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia), and Jason Sudeikis (SNL), play Nick, Dale, and Kurt. They are three friends at three entirely different jobs, and they all hate their bosses for entirely different reasons. The one thing they all share with their hatred is the fact that their bosses are holding them back. When they realize that they can't just quit and get new jobs due to the terrible economy, they come up with the idea that killing each others bosses is the only way they can be happy. From here they go on to find someone who can help them pull it off without getting caught. Enter Jamie Foxx who plays their "murder consultant (I won't give you his character's name as not to ruin some hilarity)." From here the guys go about trying to devise how to take out each others boss, which in turn leads to plenty of mishaps and plenty of other stuff that goes wrong, but it all comes with plenty of laughter.
            Bateman, Day, and Sudeikis work very well together and make a believable trio of friends, all of which have extremely different personalities. Charlie Day is great and I think his career looks promising outside of "It's Always Sunny..." Though plenty of the comedy work falls on these three enough can't be said about the work of the bosses. Kevin Spacey plays Dave Harken, Nick's boss, who is completely self absorbed and psychotic. Jennifer Aniston plays Dr. Julia Harris, Dale's boss, who sexually harasses him every chance she gets and is a complete sex crazed lunatic. Finally, Colin Farrell plays Bobby Pellett, Kurt's boss, who is a coke head and just an overall terrible person. All three of these actors do a great job with their extreme characters. Jennifer Aniston in particular does, and not just because she looks sexy the entire time, but because her character is such an extreme opposite of what she usually plays, it's just plain hilarious.
            Going into Horrible Bosses I thought it had the potential to be very funny. However, I also had the feeling that the previews could have over done it and it could potentially flop. Thankfully, I am glad to say that it did not flop and was in fact very funny. The outrageousness of it all helps keep the mood light throughout, so that you aren't picking apart everything that happens that may not be totally realistic of everyday life. The writer's do a good job of mixing up material and whenever a joke may flop in your opinion, don't worry the next one will sure to make you laugh again.
              Anyways, I obviously give this movie a thumbs up and 3 out of 4 stars. It's hilarious don't get me wrong, but it has to be phenomenal to earn 4 stars. I will however be buying this once its out on DVD/Blu-Ray. This movie just came out last Friday so you all have a few weeks to go see it in theaters before it's too late. I highly recommend doing so. Enjoy!

Editor's Note: I'm going to start throwing in trailers with the films I review. Please let me know if this is a benefit or makes things too crowded. Also, I know I said Blue Valentine would be the next film to be reviewed, but I have been really busy lately and well it just didn't happen. I will be seeing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II at midnight Thursday night so I will do my best to put out a review ASAP after that. If I don't review Blue Valentine before Potter, then it will happen after it. Thanks and keep reading!

Just Go With It

            I'm curious why the people who made this movie titled it "Just Go With It." I mean, is it because it relates to the film's storyline or is it because that's what they're really asking viewers to do? Now even though I am completely serious when I pose that question, I have to admit I didn't think the movie was that bad, and you know why? It's because I didn't expect a whole lot going into it. I mean it's an Adam Sandler movie for one, and anyone in my generation or anyone who has been around long enough to know his movies, should know what to expect from them. This movie falls from the same tree as many of his others do.
            In this movie Adam Sandler plays Dr. Danny Maccabee, a plastic surgeon in L.A., who uses a fake wedding ring to pick up women. He only does this of course after being severely hurt by a past love. However, this act comes back to bite him after he meets his dream girl, the beautiful school teacher Palmer (strange name for a character but oh well) played by Brooklyn Decker. When this happens, instead of coming clean Danny decides to lie more and say he's getting divorced. To aid him in this he enlists his assistant, Katherine (Jennifer Aniston), to pose as his wife. From here things only get more complicated in many different ways as Danny and Katherine try help keep up the web of lies.
           At first glance, it's not a terrible story idea. Is it plausible to think with these story lines that it will all work out? No, but that's not the point, plus movies love these sort of ideas. The problem for this movie isn't the initial idea, but how they take that idea and go too far with it too quickly. It gets far too unrealistic with how quickly relationships develop and other things that happen.
           Now, I'm not getting on the case of some stuff that happens for jokes and what not. Going over the top with some extremity is something Sandler has done in his movies forever, so that's not unexpected. In fact, I would've been surprised not to see some of the style of jokes that are in there. And I'm not saying some weren't funny or cheesy either, but if you're a Sandler fan than you know what you're getting. However, I do give credit to Sandler for maturing in recent years with his comedy movies. He has scaled far back from the antics of Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore (which I love), that he just can't pull off anymore. An exception to this of course being You Don't Mess With the Zohan which I'm sure many people would love to forget.
          When it comes right down to it, this movie had plenty of the types of jokes I expected that still seemed to make me laugh. I also, didn't go into it expecting to see an award winning type of story either, and if you want to try and enjoy this movie than you have to do the same. I give props to Nicole Kidman and Dave Matthews for playing random bit characters I never expected to see and being pretty funny at them.
           Overall, I give this movie a thumb in the middle and 2 out of 4 stars. If you're a Sandler fan then watch it. I'm sure you'll laugh and probably not love it, but you won't hate it either. Plus, the beauty of Jennifer Aniston and Brooklyn Decker helps make anything watchable. Get this via Netflix, at your local Redbox, or onDemand. Enjoy!

Editor's Note: My next review will be either on the Australian movie Animal Kingdom or The Company Men. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens...