From the trailer, it is difficult to tell if “Game Night” is a serious murder mystery laced with tension-relieving humor, or if the film is just a straight-up comedy.
Allow me to resolve this quandary.
The film is a straight-up comedy — a good one with an amazing cast.
With the rising popularity of chick-flick comedies like “Bridesmaids” and “Bad Moms,” I was afraid this movie would be targeted toward the female crowd. However, with a completely unique plot, the film’s humor could be targeted at anyone.
Released on Feb. 23 and directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein, the film follows a group of competitive couples during an extreme game night.
The couples in the film are not sitting on the couch playing the typical game of charades — they are racing around the city trying to solve what they think is a fake murder mystery.
As one could guess, something goes wrong and the couples find themselves participating in a chaotic, confusing and ridiculously real nighttime murder party.
The film’s humor comes partly from actors Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams, Lamorne Morris and Kyle Chandler.
The film’s fast pace kept me on the edge of my seat.
Not once did I lose interest or did my mind drift outside the theater, which often happens in comedies that are just not that funny.
This movie was different though, and I was extremely impressed.
The plot was hilarious — the murder-ish tension made for laughs, and the characters’ lines were not too cheesy, but they were well-written.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
The film’s humor was not all sexually charged, either, which I appreciate. And the comedy did not come directly from the character’s stupidity either.
That being said, with an R-rating for language, sexual references and some violence, this movie is definitely not one to take children to.
If you’re looking for night-out ideas, this movie is definitely worth seeing with a date or with friends. I thought it was a great comedy.
Seeing this movie in theaters is definitely worth the price of a ticket.
“Game Night” was crazy, intense, thrilling and funny — and it did a great job of keeping me engaged and smiling.
Timber Mabes is a culture reporter at the Daily Lobo. She can be contacted at culture@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @timbermabes.
