I’m surprised the comparison never struck me before, but the film Game Night most reminds me of is the late-’90s Bill Murray vehicle The Man Who Knew Too Little, which has a similarly breezy feel. The difference is Murray never has a full understanding of the situation he’s landed in -- at all times, he thinks it’s an interactive adventure set up by his more successful brother -- but he nonetheless comes through the other side unscathed.
I remember really liking that movie when I saw it in theater, but it so rarely gets mentioned that I wonder if maybe it wasn't as good as I thought. Even Murray diehards rarely bring it up like they would, say, Quick Change.
I liked it when I saw it in theaters, too -- much more than Murray’s previous film, the disappointing Larger Than Life -- but I can see why it might get lost in the weeds of his other immediate pre-Rushmore work.
IIRC Murray has also trashed the Larger Than Life / Man Who Knew Too Little run as the moment where he legit thought about quitting and that lead him to deliberately change course career-wise.
A sadly overlooked movie, isn’t it? I have a real soft spot for the Sandman, and this was a genuinely earthy movie with detailed characters and an authentic milieu, right down to the Billy Joel soundtrack. He’s done his share of phoned-in junk, but he’s apparently still growing as a filmmaker, and I think TWO exhibits and realizes a good deal of ambition.
It’s directed by and co-written with Smigel, so it has a slightly different texture than Sandler’s usual fare. I really enjoyed it. I flat out adored his Netflix concert special 100% Fresh, and have used it to convert many a Sandler skeptic.
Yeah you can really feel the hand of the algorithm when you’re watching a comedy and you get to the ‘gross out bodily’ scene.
There was an interesting interview with Evan Goldberg on the town podcast recently about what studios are looking for comedy-wise. He described it as ‘comedy plus’ where the plus is a high concept, a second genre, an underrepresented audience etc.
Oh man, I cannot believe how well this movie works. I still think about Plemons in this.
I am routinely outraged that McAdams isn't widely understood to be one of the best comedic actors around. She's good in all kinds of roles but good god can she sell a laugh.
McAdams is so great, but I feel like Hollywood has never known what to do with her. Just look at the thankless role she was given in Doctor Strange, a movie I forgot she was in until I looked up her IMDB just now. Let her shine, goddammit!
I thought that role was thankless, and then I saw the most recent movie where he crashes her wedding (!) to tell her he loves her (!!) and she doesn't immediately block him on all channels and push him out a window. What's lower than thankless?
On their podcast, Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers made the point that Rachel McAdams's lack of an Oscar (or even a nom!) for Mean Girls tells you just how little the Oscars rewards/understands comedic acting. Because in any fair world, McAdams would have a statue for Regina George. I rewatched Eurovision Song Contest this week, and the movie largely works because she does all the heavy lifting landing the emotional stakes. Proposal for a new Turing test: do you cry at the big climatic song?
Plemons, man. Plemons. Fucking Plemons. Where's that guy's 5 Oscars?
I was thinking recently how remarkable it was that the Oscars recognized Marisa Tomei for My Cousin Vinny, and how hopelessly rare it is for comedic acting to be properly recognized.
More films should normalize the use of tilt-shift lenses. There are dozens of us trying to get people to accept them and their overly complex uses that you could mimic in Photoshop.
The squeak toy bit! God, was that great. I also remember how much I liked Billy Magnussen in this and was surprised at his turn as a bad guy in No Time to Die.
Glad to see the McAdams love. She's really had a great career so far, so many varied roles.
Lot of McAdams love in this thread (justified!), but I think this is also a good time to shout out Kyle Chandler, an actor I genuinely believed would step into Harrison Ford's shoes as the Hot Dad Who Kicks Ass. Super 8 seemed like a test case for this, and I think he passed--but he never seemed to build on that momentum, sliding into man-in-suit supporting roles for the next decade. It was great to see him play against type in Game Night, and it makes me wonder what might have been. Because there was a time, post-Friday Night Lights, when he would've been my choice for a recast Indiana Jones.
Small correction: Kevin's wife's name is Michelle, the actress is Kylie Bunbury.
That out of the way, I do want to give a shout-out to all the couple pairings in the movie, especially Max and Annie because other than blips they all generally still *like* each other and marriage isn't a dead end or something that breeds contempt. I don't know how we really fix theaters being associated with spectacle, because there are times i've watched comedies at home and wondered how they would play if I had seen it in a theater surrounded by other people who were also laughing.
Weird, right? The movie I kept wanting to compare it to was Date Night but I'm not sure that's totally right. Iirc, none of the characters in Game Night have kids so that might change things a little but still, it's at least nice that the majority of the movie isn't sniping at each other.
I’m surprised the comparison never struck me before, but the film Game Night most reminds me of is the late-’90s Bill Murray vehicle The Man Who Knew Too Little, which has a similarly breezy feel. The difference is Murray never has a full understanding of the situation he’s landed in -- at all times, he thinks it’s an interactive adventure set up by his more successful brother -- but he nonetheless comes through the other side unscathed.
I remember really liking that movie when I saw it in theater, but it so rarely gets mentioned that I wonder if maybe it wasn't as good as I thought. Even Murray diehards rarely bring it up like they would, say, Quick Change.
I liked it when I saw it in theaters, too -- much more than Murray’s previous film, the disappointing Larger Than Life -- but I can see why it might get lost in the weeds of his other immediate pre-Rushmore work.
IIRC Murray has also trashed the Larger Than Life / Man Who Knew Too Little run as the moment where he legit thought about quitting and that lead him to deliberately change course career-wise.
I can't remember the last time I saw a trailer for a comedy and thought "Okay, I NEED to see that". Sad thought to have.
Glad to see Game Night get some attention, it is so deftly written and acted with great charm.
The first, best comedy that comes to mind in a “post-studio-comedy era” is Netflix’s The Week Of.
A sadly overlooked movie, isn’t it? I have a real soft spot for the Sandman, and this was a genuinely earthy movie with detailed characters and an authentic milieu, right down to the Billy Joel soundtrack. He’s done his share of phoned-in junk, but he’s apparently still growing as a filmmaker, and I think TWO exhibits and realizes a good deal of ambition.
Oh wow, okay. I'm intrigued. I haven't given the Netflix Sandlers much attention, other than HUSTLE.
It’s directed by and co-written with Smigel, so it has a slightly different texture than Sandler’s usual fare. I really enjoyed it. I flat out adored his Netflix concert special 100% Fresh, and have used it to convert many a Sandler skeptic.
Latest example: Joy Ride is a great movie in spite of the large comic set pieces, not because of them
Yeah you can really feel the hand of the algorithm when you’re watching a comedy and you get to the ‘gross out bodily’ scene.
There was an interesting interview with Evan Goldberg on the town podcast recently about what studios are looking for comedy-wise. He described it as ‘comedy plus’ where the plus is a high concept, a second genre, an underrepresented audience etc.
Oh man, I cannot believe how well this movie works. I still think about Plemons in this.
I am routinely outraged that McAdams isn't widely understood to be one of the best comedic actors around. She's good in all kinds of roles but good god can she sell a laugh.
McAdams is so great, but I feel like Hollywood has never known what to do with her. Just look at the thankless role she was given in Doctor Strange, a movie I forgot she was in until I looked up her IMDB just now. Let her shine, goddammit!
I thought that role was thankless, and then I saw the most recent movie where he crashes her wedding (!) to tell her he loves her (!!) and she doesn't immediately block him on all channels and push him out a window. What's lower than thankless?
I forgot about that bullshit. I liked all the parts of that movie that were Evil Dead 4, but I blacked out everything else.
I'll raise you: guest star on the recent season of FX's DAVE and no one knew.
On their podcast, Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers made the point that Rachel McAdams's lack of an Oscar (or even a nom!) for Mean Girls tells you just how little the Oscars rewards/understands comedic acting. Because in any fair world, McAdams would have a statue for Regina George. I rewatched Eurovision Song Contest this week, and the movie largely works because she does all the heavy lifting landing the emotional stakes. Proposal for a new Turing test: do you cry at the big climatic song?
Plemons, man. Plemons. Fucking Plemons. Where's that guy's 5 Oscars?
McAdams can do anything, but she's particularly aces at comedy. She's consistently the best part of all of them.
Let's keep her name alive for Best Supporting for ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET.
I was thinking recently how remarkable it was that the Oscars recognized Marisa Tomei for My Cousin Vinny, and how hopelessly rare it is for comedic acting to be properly recognized.
Yeeessss! And it was controversial at the time!
"Earlier this week, I slipped out to theaters to see No Hard Feelings ...." Sounds more than a little illicit.
More films should normalize the use of tilt-shift lenses. There are dozens of us trying to get people to accept them and their overly complex uses that you could mimic in Photoshop.
The squeak toy bit! God, was that great. I also remember how much I liked Billy Magnussen in this and was surprised at his turn as a bad guy in No Time to Die.
Glad to see the McAdams love. She's really had a great career so far, so many varied roles.
Lot of McAdams love in this thread (justified!), but I think this is also a good time to shout out Kyle Chandler, an actor I genuinely believed would step into Harrison Ford's shoes as the Hot Dad Who Kicks Ass. Super 8 seemed like a test case for this, and I think he passed--but he never seemed to build on that momentum, sliding into man-in-suit supporting roles for the next decade. It was great to see him play against type in Game Night, and it makes me wonder what might have been. Because there was a time, post-Friday Night Lights, when he would've been my choice for a recast Indiana Jones.
Ah, well.
He's one of the best parts of Wolf of Wall Street. I never get sick of watching his scene on the yacht with DiCaprio.
Small correction: Kevin's wife's name is Michelle, the actress is Kylie Bunbury.
That out of the way, I do want to give a shout-out to all the couple pairings in the movie, especially Max and Annie because other than blips they all generally still *like* each other and marriage isn't a dead end or something that breeds contempt. I don't know how we really fix theaters being associated with spectacle, because there are times i've watched comedies at home and wondered how they would play if I had seen it in a theater surrounded by other people who were also laughing.
Wow. Didn't even think about this re: the couples but I honestly think this is one of the reasons I found the movie so enjoyable.
Weird, right? The movie I kept wanting to compare it to was Date Night but I'm not sure that's totally right. Iirc, none of the characters in Game Night have kids so that might change things a little but still, it's at least nice that the majority of the movie isn't sniping at each other.
Makes me think about how much studio comedies rely on dysfunction.