Film Review - Game Night (15)

Tonight we're taking game night up a notch.

Remember The Game? It's the film David Fincher made in between Se7en and Fight Club, starring Michael Douglas and Sean Penn. The story involved a jaded businessman who paid to take part in a mysterious role-playing game in order to shake up his tired existence. Very soon he was on the run and in fear for his life, no longer able to tell the difference between 'the game' and reality. Well Game Night is a comic take on that premise, with vying couples, rather than a solo guy, immersing themselves in the craziness. And it's a movie that stands or falls on laughter rather than suspense. 

Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams play Max and Annie, a couple who met at a quiz event, recognised themselves as kindred spirits and have been indulging their competitive urges together ever since. Their regular game nights are a hit among their friends. However Max's smug older brother Brooks (Kyle Chandler at his smarmiest) intends to up the ante, arranging a bespoke crime thriller roleplay evening for everyone's entertainment. The real, he assures them, will be indistinguishable from the fake, which naturally sets the movie's whole course. What exactly is going on? And if the unfolding events are all artifice, how come they're starting to appear so painfully real?

To its credit Game Night throws enough variables into the mix to keep the plot bubbling, nor does it feel a need to go exactly the same road as the movie that seemingly inspired it. Much of the comedy stems from feeling a step ahead of the clueless characters, rather than being fooled along with them. Thus we get to watch these idiots wade into dire situations, blithely unaware of the peril. Yes the laughs are broad, but enough of them land on target to keep things ticking over.

Of the gamers Bateman and McAdams are the standout, their chemistry sparking continually, not least in a wonderfully judged scene involving a squeaky-toy. Their sheer likability overcomes my personal bugbear with the movie - the America-centric nature of virtually all the trivia this group chuck around with no hint of awareness in the script. Sharon Horgan (yes, the Irish writer/actress of Catastrophe and multiple other TV comedies) is good when she's allowed room by her gormless gaming partner, an admittedly funny Billy Magnussen. However couple number three - Lamorne Morris and Kylie Bunbury - are tied a one-joke shtick through much of the running-time, rather than being developed in any discernible way. (It's not even a particularly good joke.) 

Prepare to see the entire film stolen, however, by Jesse Plemons (Hostiles, The Post), as the awkward neighbour, who's been cold-shouldered by the group and is now desperate to inveigle his way back in. It's an object lesson in less-is-more humour and probably the funniest thing in the show. He also owns a cute dog to which nothing (very) bad happens.

Game Night is a big mainstream crowd-pleaser that would benefit from a bit of script-finessing and a higher one-liner hit rate. It retains its energy throughout, however, even when the plot mechanics inevitably threaten to drain the laughs. If this film keeps hold of its audience, that's largely due to a talented cast - actors who know how to play the comedy game above all others. 

Gut Reaction: Satisfactorily entertained, with a few laughs right from the gut.

Where Are the Women?: McAdams is balanced well with Bateman in their loved-up double-act and provided with room to shine as a comedy talent. Give the other gals the same, though!

Ed's Verdict: 6/10. It does more than enough with its premise to justify its existence and the squeaky-toy scene is a moment of comedy genius. I laughed a lot more at Gringo though.