GAME
NIGHT
Direction: John Francis Daley; Cast: Jason
Bateman, Rachel McAdams, Billy Magnussen, Sharon Horgan, Lamorne Morris; Screenplay: Mark Perez;
Cinematography: Barry Petersoni; Editing: Jamie Gross, Gregory Plotkin,
David Egan; Music: Cliff Martinez; Producers: John Davis, Jason
Bateman, John Fox, James Garavente; Genre: Black Comedy; Location: USA; Distributor: Warner
Bros Pictures Running Time: 100 minutes
Technical Assessment
2.5
Moral Assessment: 2.5
CINEMA Rating: V14 –V18
Max
(Bateman) and Annie (McAdams) love parlor games and host a routine weekend game
night with friends, except Gary (Plemons), a deadpan awkward policeman. When
Max’s obnoxious brother Brooks (Chandler) shows up and arranges to host the
game night at his place and initiates an interactive role-playing mystery game
wagering his Corvette as the prize for the winner. Max who has always been
insecure of his brother’s success and Annie who finds Brook’s insufferable
decide to make sure they beat him. During the game, an actor pretending to be
an FBI agent arrives and narrates the supposed mystery plot but in the middle
of his explanation, he and Brooks are assaulted and kidnapped. Believing all is
part of the act, the 3 couples try to solve the mystery using clues and
technology. As the 3 couples realize that they no longer are playing a game,
Brooks reveals his own insecurities and life of crime. In a twist of events,
Gary helps in rescuing the group but also is revealed to have taken part of the
kidnap plan in his attempt to be invited in game night.
Game Night begins as a
usual run-of-the-mill romantic comedy but slowly churns into a vulgar over
thought cute action thriller. The spirited casting salvages the frantic
material. However, the constricted characterization leaves but little room for
them to explore and expand. The script is a wobbly collection of hurried plots
and daft scenes. There are laughs and hysterical moments only to be dampened
when the audience regains sense and realizes the dullness of the director’s
attempts.
In the pretense of
comedy and mystery the movie tries very hard to talk about sibling rivalry and
brotherly love. It shows how jealousy and miscommunication are detrimental not
only to a healthy sibling relationship but to each other’s growth as
persons. Then there is the standard used
to measure success—should it only be one’s material and financial gains? Does a
healthy and happy marital relationship not count? Fortunately, the movie tried to emphasize the
value of the family and friends’ compassion and support in the face of danger,
pain and failure. However, the operative word is “tried” because it wanted to
get there but did not arrive in time to save the frenzied movie.
