Date Night: Movie Review

Date Night: Movie Review

Date Night
Rating: 6/10
Cast: Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Ray Liotta, William Fichtner, James Franco
Director: Shawn Levy
Steve Carell and Tina Fey team up in this comedy about mistaken identity.
They're Phil and Claire Foster - a NY husband and wife whose suburban lives have been besieged by the mundanities of two point four children; for whom each day is a series of routines - including their Date Night which sees them ordering the same dishes week in, week out.
So, shocked by the news one of their favourite couples is about to divorce, Phil decides to shake things up to prevent their marriage from being the next casualty.
On the spur of the moment, he takes Claire to a swanky Manhattan restaurant and refusing to give in because he doesn't have a reservation, takes someone else's.
And that's where the problems start - because it turns out the reservation was for two people who have big problems with the law and pretty soon, the pair are out of their depth and fighting for their lives.
You would imagine Date Night would be the dream partnership on the big screen; both Carell and Fey are much loved in The Office and 30 Rock - and to be honest, they work well together on the screen; they're a plausible pair of long time marrieds who've lost their spark.
Fey is particularly funny - I have to admit to never having been 100% won over by her charms but she really has some hoot out loud funny lines; likewise Carell is his usual toned down self but again, thanks to some great lines, gets the chance to shine. The pair have such great ways of delivering the lines that gives it some sparkle; with both of them, it's down to inappropriate lines and odd comments here and there which really make this likeable duo work well.

But unfortunately this caper doesn't quite work as a story and I don't know exactly what went wrong with it; it's not a bad film, it's just a bit lacking that 5% magic that needs to make it gel. Perhaps it's because in parts it feels like a blockbuster (complete with a well shot chase scene) mixed in with some old fashioned comedy, but the sum of its parts don't add up.

While the chemistry between Carell and Fey is great, there's just something about the film which leaves you a little disappointed at the end of the night.