Date Night poster

Date Night

wogma rating: Add to 'must watch' list (?)

quick review:

You’ve loved Steve Carell and his voice-overs. And Tina Fey needs no introduction (Viewers of 30 Rock, rejoice!) Date Night fits the screwball comedy genre and is thankfully not just a series of gags, placed one after another. The punchlines are funny, as are the performances – a splendid one in a scene featuring Mark Wahlberg – and this isn’t surprising, coming from the director of comedies such as Just Married, Night at the Museum. Couples will love Date Night, especially considering it is a story about the dilemma of a suburban couple, as much as about the mess they get into. Not sure if you want to own it on DVD, but certainly rent it or borrow it.

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Director: Shawn Levy
Running time: 101 minutes
More Movie Info

Q: What is the test of a good comedy film?
A: One, it should make you laugh while it’s on.
Two, it should continue to remind you of the laughter and gags, hours after you've seen it.
Three, it should make you want to watch it again and again.

Date Night does well on all three counts. Starring the very likable pair of Steve Carell and Tina Fey - both have gained a reputation in all things comedy - and directed by Shawn Levy (Just Married, Big Fat Liar, Night at the Museum).

There's also hilarious special appearance by Mark Wahlberg (topless in the film, throughout). The scene when the Fosters land up at his apartment seeking help, continues to make me laugh. I can't help smiling when I remember the way Carrell, Fey and Wahlberg perform that scene. I'm going to take a pause here, to finish laughing. I dare say that Date Night got me laughing a lot more than The Hangover did. I'm quoting Hangover specifically because for many, that films ranks as one of the best comedies from Hollywood.

In Date Night, the humour works a lot more because of the fabulous comic timing between the actors - Carrell and Fey are both exceptionally gifted, not just as actors but incredible voice artists (Don't miss ‘the gag reel’ on the DVD). They also enact the bored suburban couple look perfectly in the first few minutes of the film, which is what makes us love them a lot more. The scene where they discuss the status of their married life something that might get married couples look at each other and smile.

In fact, couples - both married and unmarried - will especially identify with the Fosters. I loved those scenes where they're at a restaurant and play a guessing game of what stage of relationship couples on other tables may be passing through.

The gags and action sort of drag towards the end, and the pole dancing scene was a little extreme, in my view. Since you're watching it on DVD, and I suspect your family members are going to be around, it might make you cringe in your seat. But everything happens for a reason, as do those scenes. Just an indication that despite being in the 'screwball comedy' genre, Date Night manages to be a story about a couple rather than a mere comedy of errors. Try this film on a girl's night out or even on a stag night. Good fun!

Don't miss the bloopers and special features on the DVD. There’s a video which profiles one entire schedule in the making of the film, where you learn that the cast and crew are habituated to sleep during the day, since all the shoots happen at night. Director Shawn Levy confidently takes you through each step and the amount of detailing and precision that goes behind setting up each scene, is mind-boggling. Ultimately, you realise that in films that are not verbose, acting is such a small part of the entire film-making process.

This review is by guest reviewer Arcopol Chaudhuri. Arcopol Chaudhuri is a senior social media architect at a Mumbai-based digital agency. He tweets as @arcopolc

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7 readers - 2 yays 5 so-so 0 nays

Yay! Thumbs Up, by Enjoylyrics.com : In fact, couples - both married and unmarried - will especially identify with the Fosters. I loved t

Yay! Thumbs Up, by Lyricswale.com : A good noir film works when it transports everyday characters into a world that is not so obvious; a

So-So, by Abhishek

So-So, by Hindilyrics4u.co.in : Don't miss the bloopers and special features on the DVD. There’s a video which profiles one entire s

So-So, by Rahul : Typical run of the mill Hollywood movie. Nothing special.

So-So, by Raman Aurora

So-So, by Tamillyrics.co.in : In Date Night, the humour works a lot more because of the fabulous comic timing between the actors -

This page has additional observations, other than the ones noted in the main review.

Plot Summary

Date Night tells the story of a young married couple's crazy adventure one evening, when, desperate to have dinner at a fancy restaurant, they smartly occupy the table of another couple - the Tripplehorns - who fail to turn-up against their reservation.

Now mistaken as the Tripplehorns, Carell and Fey (the Fosters) are confronted by cops on the look-out for a flash drive. How the Fosters go about dodging them and eventually find a way to go back home, is what forms the rest of the film.

Parental Guidance:

  • Violence: Bearable.
  • Language: Witty, and often suggestive.
  • Nudity & Sexual content: In some scenes towards the end, but not forced.
  • Concept: Fun, light and easy on the senses.
  • General Look and Feel: Metropolitan!

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Direction:
Story:
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Date Night - Cast, crew, links

Producer:
Director:
Cinematography:
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Art Direction:
Running time:
101 minutes
Language:
Country:
USA

Comments (3)

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"Add to must watch list", "watch again and again and again". Seriously. It was a decent movie, nothing more than that. Typical Hollywood comedy with nothing special in it. There was nothing in it to justify the "must watch" tag that seems to have given rather generously.

It might have to do with the volume, but I do tend to notice the trend that all Hollywood movies are rated very favourably on wogma. Sorry, but most of them are not that great - I see too many "must watch" and "buy the dvd already" there. Seems like we Indians enjoy watching Bollywood nonsense (see the success of Golmaal 3, Housefull and compare it to mostly unfavourable reviews) but like praising all that is Hollywood.

@Rahul a reason why you might find more positive reviews on wogma for non-Hindi films is that they are mostly done by guest reviewers. And until now the reviewers chose what they reviewed, as in they'd review what they saw not necessarily seeing it to review the film for wogma. And naturally, more or less always, only the ones the reviewer liked got to wogma.

Hopefully, this trend will change now on. Since I have a few reviewers who have promised to review non-Hindi films every week. (*fingers crossed*) That should balance it out a bit.

this one is quite predictable to be honest

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