Game Night (2018) – Film Review

Lately there have been very few good adult comedies that have been deserving of a theater experience. This film “Game Night” recaptures the same magic that 2010’s “Date Night” with Steve Carrell and Tina Fey had that doesn’t try to copy what they did in that film but evolve it into a new scenario that you fall into the story and it never gets too unbelievable. A great thing about this adult comedy is it’s smart writing in how it has twists and turns you don’t expect that are completely believable. This film isn’t ruined with egregious toilet humor that most adult comedies are plagued with.

Rachel McAdams and Jason Bateman feel like equals to each other in this film as the costars. They command the screen and have an energy that is infectious. The premise of the film is Bateman and McAdams’ characters are a married couple trying to have a child and deal with the overachieving and overbearing older brother to Bateman’s character played by Kyle Chandler. The high concept of a game night gone wrong is so brilliant it’s shocking it hasn’t been done before. The supporting cast does a fantastic job with Billy Magnussen is hilarious as the daft friend out of the group. The other couple played by Lamorne Morris and Kylie Bunbury have a great supporting arc with a great gag that pays by the end credits. Jesse Plemons plays the neighbor who is a cop that lives next to Bateman and McAdams.

Tonight we’re taking game night up a notch. We do not a board and we do not need pieces.

Game Night has such a strong overall action comedy script that uses all of its players throughout the film to keep anyone from being dead weight. At points I thought they would steer off into familiar tropes with just focusing on the main leads and leaving the supporting characters behind, but they don’t. They manage to give each of the supporting characters and art and depth. The only negatives I had with the film where that a couple of the characters I wish they had a bit more to their storylines, mainly Sharon Horgan’s character. I liked her but I wish she had more to do with the story. Also as great as the twists were a couple of times it almost veered into unbelievable territory but ended up being grounded in the end.

Overall I highly recommend everyone check this film out when they have the chance. It is a fun engaging adult comedy that is smartly written. The cast familiar and new shine with their performances. If you’re not able to see it in theaters I would definitely recommend to stream it.

8/10