There are only a handful of comedies that I can watch over and over again and still find enjoyment. The main component that they have all had in common was their ability to tell an original story and provide great laughs through memorable characters. Game Night is a perfect example of this, and I enjoyed every second of it. I was the only one of my friends who had ever really heard of this film, and I am glad that this underrated treasure was as great as I was hoping it to be. It is a shame that it did not get much publicity, because this film has a creative story, fantastic cast, and some of the coolest cinematography and aesthetic ideas I have ever seen.
This film has many aspects in it that are rarely used in comedies, but made this film so spectacular. The best part about it were the performances from the cast and the writing. Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams were fantastic together, and their talents really shone in this movie. Bateman is obviously a comedy superstar, but McAdams was who really impressed me. Known mostly for her dramatic and romantic movies, she absolutely killed it in this comedic role of Annie. I was honestly not expecting the performances to be so enticing, but they truly were. Another role that was excellent was that of Gary, played by Jesse Plemons. I have not heard of this Matt Damon-esque actor until recently in Black Mirror, but he is an astounding performer. While he played the creepy police officer neighbor, he also provided a great story of his own. The writing was also the biggest draw-in for me. I had been excited about this film due its original premise, and was very pleasantly surprised at how well the story executed it. It was a perfect blend of comedy, action, and drama that kept me engaged the entire time. The comedy throughout the film is not constantly laugh-out-loud, but it was so clever and well-developed with the rest of the movie that it fit perfectly.
Along with the clever comedy, the stories developing through the multiple couples were done very well. I was worried that since Bateman and McAdams are A-list stars, that they would be the main focus of the film. In a way they were, but it also blended the supporting characters in the story just as well. There was great diversity between the whole cast, and their stories were funny and fantastic. Max and Annie's plot of falling in love and attempting to have a child was done very well. Seeing them struggling with incoming parenthood and their adult lives worked great for their characters, especially since everything came full-circle in the end. Due to the consistently fantastic writing, all of the loose ends and stories were woven together beautifully. Some of the more technical pieces that I ADORED about this movie were its aesthetic, editing, and cinematography. For a comedy, I never would have expected such detail in the camera work, but it was very creative and done well. Especially in the scene where the couples are stealing the egg from the mansion, that shot alone piqued every bit of interest in me (I'll always be a sucker for long, continuous shots with lots of action). Along with the great editing and cinematography, I was fascinated by the movie's aesthetic. Every shot of the roads or buildings were made to look like a game board with toy-piece cars and structures, and this was honestly my favorite part of it all. It is awesome to see a comedy do something so creative like that with the budget that they were given, and it was beautiful. Throw in a cameo by Dexter's Michael C. Hall, and you have a expertly-crafted and innovative comedy.
I will definitely be buying this film once it comes out on Blu-ray, as it kept me interested and snickering the entire time. Game Night is one of those rare comedies that experiments with new aspects and wildly succeed in them. I would 100% recommend this film so that everyone can see what my excitement was all about and experience for themselves the hilarity of this movie.
My Rating: ★★★★½
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