133. Game Night; movie review

GAME NIGHT
Cert 15
100 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong language, sex references, injury detail

I wish I could stick more rigidly to my rule of avoiding cinema trailers - especially for comedies.
Many of Game Night's key moments are given away in its teaser which seems to have been running for months.
Usually, I close my eyes (I have even been known to drop off) ahead of the feature presentation but I just hadn't been able to sidestep this one.
The consequence was that John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein's movie's effects, both comedic and dramatic, were diluted and I cannot rate it higher than 7/10.
And that is a shame because there is a real spark of originality around the premise of Game Night and  its construction is well thought-out.
For example, uniquely and intriguingly, the camera occasionally pulls away to give the impression that the characters are part of a bigger board game.
Game Night stars Jason Bateman (he is too old for the role) and Rachel McAdams as Max and Annie - a highly competitive young couple who met at a pub quiz and now hold evenings in for their friends.
Meanwhile, it becomes clear that Max's real contest is with his highly successful brother, Brooks (Kyle Chandler (again too old for the role)).
When Brooks hits town, game night is taken to a whole new level with the most realistic murder mystery anyone has seen.
McAdams is my pick of the cast - her CV is testament to her versatility and here she proves she is just as good with a wacky comedy as she was playing a serious investigative journalist in Spotlight.
I was also rather taken with Jesse Plemons deadpan contribution too. He plays an oddball neighbour who is desperate to be part of game night after being separated from his wife.
Both Mrs W and I felt that Game Night lost its way after a sparkling opening half hour and came back with a sparkling finale. This left about 45 minutes when the gags became a bit samey.
Interestingly, while we only laughed three times, I also jumped three times which proves that Game Night has an equally dramatic pull.
I was just left wanting a bit more. Would it have hit the mark had I missed the trailers?
Who knows but I reckon probably so.

Reasons to watch: Original, well thought-out concept
Reasons to avoid: Stodgy middle lasts too long

Laughs: Three
Jumps: Three
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 7/10

Director quote - John Francis Daley: " We really wanted to lean into the thriller component as much as the comedy, and that’s why we consciously made the effort to have it look and sound and feel like the comedic characters that are thrust into a dramatic movie. "

The big question - When will Jason Bateman be too old to play the immature husband?

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