Starring: Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Jenna Fischer, Christina Applegate and Richard Jenkins
Directed by: Peter Farrelly and Bobby Farrelly
MPAA Rating: R for crude and sexual humor throughout, language, some graphic nudity and drug use
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Running Time: 1hr 45min
Release Date: February 25th, 2011
Distributed by: Warner Bros./New Line Cinema
By John Delia
The comedy keeps coming in 2011 and the newest entry Hall Pass is a blast. Featuring a good ensemble cast, inventive writing and direction by the Farrelly brothers the film comes up a winner. Although the plot gets quite predictable, it’s the getting there that makes it fun.
The film centers on Rick (Owen Wilson) and Fred (Jason Sudeikis) two married best friends who’s bedrooms have run cold after being married for nearly two decades. Their wives Maggie (Jenna Fischer) and Grace (Christina Applegate) have been at a loss themselves, but have never tried to jump-start their marriages. On occasions they see their husbands turn their heads at a sassy lady and this has set off a psychological love problem. While chatting with a friend of theirs Maggie and Grace find out about something called a hall pass where wives put a spark in their romance by giving their husbands a week off from marriage to do what they want. When Maggie and Grace give the pass to their husbands, the result becomes a comedy of seduction dysfunction.
The cast proves to be the right persona for the Farrelly Brothers (There’s Something About Mary) to mold into their kind of wacky comedy. Here they create havoc with two guys who have been away from the dating game for so long that their ability to hook up got lost in the dark ages of their youth. And when their wives get thrown into an unexpected sexual libido challenge, things get even more amusing.
Of course nearly every romantic comedy has a good outcome or it would not be classified as such, and with Hall Pass you get the idea that love is better served at home. But, it’s the getting there that makes the film fun to watch. Although ladies, I’d think twice about giving your hubby a license to flirt.
Hall Pass is rated R for crude and sexual humor throughout, language, some graphic nudity and drug use. Warning: And like the recent sexual content films that have been released, close ups of the male genitals seem to be getting more common.
FINAL ANALYSIS: A fun romantic film with Farrelly flare. (B)