85 HowToDoEverything1 Rating
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© New Line Cinema
The Basics
- Official Site: HorribleBossesMovie.com
- Release Date: July 8, 2011
- Director: Seth Gordon
- Main Actors: Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston
79 The HowToDoEverything1 Take
A foul-mouthed, mean-spirited and, above all, solidly funny movie, Horrible Bosses offers guys some welcome relief from the lackluster comedy lineup so far this summer. Jason Bateman, Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis star as three friends whose hostile work environments have pushed them to their limits, while Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston and Colin Farrell’s combover play those aforementioned horrible bosses with varying degrees of outward contempt.
Over drinks one night, the three disgruntled employees come to the conclusion that their lives would be significantly better off if their bosses’ lives were ended, and out of that, a scheme is born. With an ex-con (Jamie Foxx) as their “murder consultant,” the friends devise a convoluted solution to their shared problem, but, fortunately, the movie turns out much better than their plan.
Over drinks one night, the three disgruntled employees come to the conclusion that their lives would be significantly better off if their bosses’ lives were ended, and out of that, a scheme is born. With an ex-con (Jamie Foxx) as their “murder consultant,” the friends devise a convoluted solution to their shared problem, but, fortunately, the movie turns out much better than their plan.
75 Critical Appeal
Horrible Bosses follows the Hangover model when it comes to casting, with leading men who fit their parts rather than the movie poster. Instead, the awful bosses provide the requisite star power and name recognition, and all three seem to relish going against type and playing the villain (especially Aniston). But if there’s any justice, Charlie Day will become a household name after Horrible Bosses. The It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star shows the same great chemistry with SNL’s Jason Sudeikis as they did in 2010’s Going the Distance; only, in this case, the rest of the movie is actually watchable, too. Jason Bateman, meanwhile, balances out the group as the designated straight man in their Three Stooges act, making good use of his talent for exasperation and excellent timing.
Director Seth Gordon officially exonerates himself for following up his promising feature debut, the acclaimed documentary The King of Kong, with the paint-by-numbers studio comedy Four Christmases. He smartly plays to his cast’s strengths, ensuring that even as the caper grows increasingly ridiculous, it remains relatively grounded in character-driven humor. Horrible Bosses may take a little while getting through the hard-to-buy premise of average Joes committing premeditated murder, but once we’re on the other side, it’s a lot of fun.
Director Seth Gordon officially exonerates himself for following up his promising feature debut, the acclaimed documentary The King of Kong, with the paint-by-numbers studio comedy Four Christmases. He smartly plays to his cast’s strengths, ensuring that even as the caper grows increasingly ridiculous, it remains relatively grounded in character-driven humor. Horrible Bosses may take a little while getting through the hard-to-buy premise of average Joes committing premeditated murder, but once we’re on the other side, it’s a lot of fun.
83 Guy Appeal
F-bombs fly faster than one-liners in this R-rated film that reverses the recent trend of disappointing guy-oriented comedies, and there's enough good lines to warrant a second viewing. Its easily relatable concept of workplace dissatisfaction should hit home with any guy who’s ever held down a job in a less-than-ideal work environment. But despite the dark premise and often outrageous nasty streak (at one point, the guys bicker over who’s more “rape-able”), Horrible Bosses remains relatively light as the hapless would-be killers falter. After all, this is a comedy, not a thriller. Moving along at a rapid clip, the movie can also get a little messy at times, but the chemistry of its three leads carries it through. And even as the plot’s twists and hijinks veer into predictably goofy and outlandish territory towards the end, the strong performances up and down the cast generate enough laughs to smooth over any rough edges.
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