Overlooked, slightly off-center workplace/business trip comedy came & went with little notice (and even less love tossed its way). But behind a pretty funny trailer lies a pretty funny film.* Helmer Ken Scott brings an ‘80s vibe to the filmmaking (in a good way), merged with looser, up-to-date social attitudes found in Steve Conrad’s script. It’s a combination that frees up his players just enough to keep his comic learning curves from turning into character straitjackets. Coarser than need be (‘Glory Holes’ & prosthetic dicks, can’t get coarser than that!, though mercifully free of gay-anxiety panic), with Dave Franco’s virginal doofus working his shtick awful hard. But the story of a little company that could is sweetly good-natured and fun. As the two senior partners, Tom Wilkinson is fine as ever, while Vince Vaughn adds to his easy comic command with a fearless emotional openness most leading men his age & bracket have started closing down at this career stage. We’re damning with faint praise, but that’s a good deal more than many a currently successful comedy rates.
LINK: *Here’s the trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bM5vyZBQFA
SCREWY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Few things screw up an actor or director’s head like good work poorly received (or vice versa). Hopeful Vaughn, who’s been on a bad recent streak, keeps his own counsel.
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