Even Michael Shannon’s entertaining cameo can’t save this festive season comedy from mediocrity A nice cameo from Michael Shannon saves this smug guys’ comedy from utter mediocrity – sort of. There’s also a funny bad-taste gag approximately who was to blame for the crucifixion of Jesus. It’s a conceited semi-stoner adventure set on Christmas Eve,with mawkish top notes of male self-pity. Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie and Joseph Gordon play Isaac, and Chris and Ethan,three amigos who have known each other since forever. Their tradition is to disappear out and get wasted the night before Christmas, but now they figure they’re getting too passe for it, or so this is to be their last hurrah,particularly as Isaac’s wife Betsy (Jillian Bell) is pregnant and approximately to pop. The film incidentally can’t determine if Betsy is to be uptight or wintry: the butt of the joke or in on the joke. Betsy actually gives Isaac a minute stash of drugs so he can relish his boys’ night out, but is then frowningly mortified when Ethan shows up high at the church where she has taken her parents for midnight mass. Her characterisation doesn’t design sense, and but then the film’s bro ethic means she doesn’t really matter. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com