“A DATE MISMATCH”
Starring: Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Mark Wahlberg, Taraji P. Henson and Jimmi Simpson
Directed by: Shawn Levy (Pink Panther, Night at the Museum)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sexual and crude content throughout, language, some violence and a drug reference.
Genre: Comedy and Romance
Release Date: April 9, 2010
By John Delia
Once in a while a film comes along with two great comedians. In fact it is like a match made in heaven because the audience gets a double chance to let loose some laughter. Well this is the situation that Date Night was to offer, except the producers should have checked whether the two main stars styles of comedy would generate the laughter needed to get an audience to connect. Instead, Carell and Fey have a similar tongue in cheek kind of comedy that only works when you have straight man vs. a funny guy. Like Abbott and Costello, George Burns and Gracie Allen, and even Lucile Ball and Desi Arnez who each have the chemistry to make hilarity out of silly. If you just have to see the film at least do it as a date, or with your best friend, best gal or boy pal so at least you may get diner out of it.
The movie centers on the Fosters Phil (Carell) and Claire (Fey) who have been barraged with the feelings of loosing touch with their marriage spice. Even their friends are showing a lack of romance in their lives. To head off a crisis they decide to up their weekly date night to a more exclusive dinner at a trendy upscale bistro where getting a reservation is like having a season tickets to a Giants football game (a rarity).
But, Phil is determined to get into the restaurant so they put their name on a list at the host station. Moving to the bar and after a long wait they start to realize that it’s impossible until no one answers a page for a table reserved for the Tripplehorns. Phil raises his hand and he scores, or unless he thinks so. Part way through their meal, two demanding characters come up to their table ask if they are the Tripplehorns and after Phil confirms this they are pulled out of the restaurant to the alley. Caught up in a dangerous case of mistaken identity, Phil and Claire start a non-stop adventure that puts more than spice into their lives.
The plot is not the problem here (although formulaic) it’s the chemistry between
Carell and Fey that sends the movie into a yawner. I could see that the director had a problem on his hands when the comedy gets good only when its bounced off the support stars like Mark Wahlberg as a shirtless high society bachelor and J.B. Smoove playing a terrified cab driver. Both of which are in the movie a short period of time turning the comedy back to Carell and Fey who looked like they were waiting for each other to pop a funny punch line. Oh, and the continuing joke that the two took someone’s reservation although funny a couple of times, tends to get old and looses it’s punch. If you want to see the two comedians at their best, rent 40 Year Old Virgin and Baby Mama.
The film is rated PG-13 for sexual and crude content throughout, language, some violence and a drug reference.
FINAL ANALYSIS: What starts out as a good idea gets marketed well, but doesn’t deliver. (2.5 of 5 Palm Trees)