Game Night
A proclaimed “thriller,”
This comedy fares best when
Going for the laughs.
In a world where “Black Panther,” doesn’t exist, I could confidently say that “Game Night” is the most fun you’ll have at the movies in February. But since Black Panther does exist (and it’s fun AF), I’ll just say that “Game Night” is some of the most fun you’ll have at the movies in February. While my mom and I don’t see that many studio comedies in theaters together, there wasn’t much else playing this Mom’s weekend, so we were both game, hehe. And you know, what? We actually both loved it, and it was the exact type of escapism we needed. The plot is twisty, the pop culture-laden jokes come fast, and while I wouldn’t say everything lands, all the big gags do. And somehow, they’re even more gut-busting than they have the right to be.
At least for me, what makes “Game Night” better than your average Good Adults Behaving Badly studio comedy (I’m looking at you, “The House”) is the “Is it real, or is it?” premise of the movie. This allows the script to be filled with twists and turns, and it keeps you guessing like a novel with an untrustworthy narrator. And unlike “The House” (you can tell I wasn’t a fan), all the actors here are game, hehe, for a good time. For starters, Rachel McAdams is magnetic onscreen and radiates with comedic energy. And I know people either love Jason Bateman or hate him, and if you fall into the latter, maybe this lively role will help you appreciate his deadpan sense of humor. Before I go, there’s just one SPOILER I have to mention. I’m sure it must’ve been hard to figure out how a movie as layered as “Game Night” would end, but I was practically jumping out of my seat cheering when Michael C. Hall was revealed to be the movie’s true villain. The choice was so campy and so perfect, and in a movie full of them, I couldn’t think of a better twist for “Game Night” to take.