Date Night

15, 2010, Directed by Shawn Levy
Starring: Steve Carrell, Tina Fey, Mark Wahlberg, Taraji P. Henson

Steve Carell, and Tina Fey: matchmade in comedy heaven, right? You would be hard pressed to think so once the credits of Date Night are rolling in front of you. No doubt they have their moments but said moments occur sparingly. The problem lies in the worn-thin plot which sees a happily married couple head out on their 'date night' - a much-needed break from their hectic daily schedules and parental routines. After being turned away from a plush restaurant, they craftily nab the Tripplehorn's reservation only to soon discover that the Tripplehorns possess something that some very nasty individuals want. Hence a night of chaos for the hapless couple, offering nothing new to the table of mistaken identity.

Date Night is a confused film; it seems that there are random strong elements for what could be a thriller at play, with a genuinely tense chase sequence convincing. All sense was ironically thrown out of the window after director Levy (Cheaper by the Dozen, Night at the Museum) landed on his feet with two US television comedy heavyweights (The Office and 30 Rock), as he attempted to integrate hilarity into proceedings. He is successful in parts (take a bow Marky Mark Wahlberg) but embarrassingly misses the mark in others (Ray Liotta, you used to be so cool...). There is some fun to be had with some unexpected cameos, but at the end of this night, you will most probably be staring at the screen with a furrowed brow, as opposed to a cheeky grin, confused as to how Levy missed such a golden oppourtunity.

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