Many comedies hit the screen and give their audiences a few hearty laughs before promptly growing stale. However, every so often one reveals itself to be enjoyable not only the first time, but the second, and maybe even the third time as well. It’s not the plot that brings viewers back to a movie, but the performances, the scenes and dialogue that friends can giggle over time and time again.
Date Night is one such movie.
Opening to the average day of average married couple Phil (Steve Carell) and Claire (Tiny Fey) Foster, the movie soon takes a sharp turn when, on their weekly “date night”, the two assume another couple’s identity to mix it up and nab a table at the hottest restaurant in Manhattan. Little do they know, the couple they pretend to be is currently on the wrong side of a local mob boss.
Despite the common concept of a case of mistaken identity spiraling out of control, the couple’s misadventure is still an entertaining one. Overall, it’s well paced and the humor well placed. Adding to that, Carell and Fey are a match made in comedy heaven. On screen, their chemistry is unquestionable and even the pair’s talent for improv is utilized to make the movie something to remember.
By the end, it’s clear that Date Night doesn’t merely roll out laughs as it also boasts a highly realistic portrayal of marriage. It rings true with a message all married couples can appreciate: the slump of routine doesn’t have to end in divorce. Rather, sometimes a marriage just needs a little kick, and that kick is precisely what separates Date Night from the mass of other comedies.
