Date Night (2010)

Date Night (2010)

7/10

Starring

Steve Carell

Tina Fey

Taraji P. Henson

Common

Mark Wahlberg

Directed by Shawn Levy

The first thirty minutes of this film had me yawning as I watched the Fosters try to have a good date night. I was rooting for them to enjoy their evening, but once the excitement started, I found myself struggling to keep up with all the unexpected twists thrown their way.

Date Night is a fun movie I’ll always remember watching. What makes it stand out is how this ordinary couple handles increasingly extraordinary situations. They never quite get on top of things, and just when you think they have it under control, the rug gets pulled out from under them.

Aside from the dragging start, the plot isn’t perfect either, but the two leads—Steve Carell and Tina Fey, who play Phil and Claire Foster—are a great match. They make up for the script’s shortcomings and complement each other beautifully on screen. The comedy shines in the stickiest of situations. While the movie isn’t very long, there are a few scenes that felt unnecessarily stretched—like their first meeting with Mark Wahlberg or the car-coupling sequence.

With a solid supporting cast, the plot centers on a couple trying to reignite the spark in their marriage. After hearing about their friends splitting up, Phil decides to be spontaneous and take Claire out for an extraordinary evening. He drives her into the city and “steals” a table reserved for a couple named the Tripplehorns, who didn’t show up. Unfortunately, the Tripplehorns are wanted by some dangerous goons.

This mistaken identity leads to the Fosters being kidnapped and interrogated about the whereabouts of a flash drive. The more they try to explain that they’re not the Tripplehorns and that they just took the table, the guiltier they seem.

They eventually escape and start piecing together what’s really happening. A visit to the police station only makes things worse when they discover that the villain has cops on his payroll. Now, the Fosters not only have the goons after them but also the real cops, thanks to their failed attempt to get help. And all of this chaos stems from one stolen restaurant table.

Date Night was both a critical and commercial success. It’s a movie I can confidently recommend, as long as you’re prepared for a slow start during the first thirty minutes.

I think the pair of them make a good comedy couple that you can watch anytime and never miss a time to laugh.