Big Screen Peter: Horrible Bosses

 

review by Peter Lewis

“Horrible Bosses” is another comedy seeking to capitalize on the innate human desire for self-actualization. In the film, we’re presented with three normal guys: Nick (Jason Bateman), Kurt (Jason Sudeikis) and Dale (Charlie Day).

All in their 30s and best of friends since high school, they’re reasonably successful and generally happy, save one common thread: their bosses make their work life miserable.

Instead of drudging through the days and years, however, they decide to take matters into their own hands and kill their bosses. So, if you can get past the ridiculousness of that abstract, you’re in luck.

The filmmakers were certainly successful in one thing: they got great performances from each of the horrible bosses, particularly Kevin Spacey. He plays Nick’s boss Dave Harkens, a devilish corporate honcho. Weaving from a deadpan puppet master to seething rage and jealousy with ease, Spacey gives a great performance.

“Horrible Bosses” also gives Collin Farrell another realm to illustrate his talents for manic roles as the entitled, coke-addicted Bobby Pellit.

The one slightly sour note among the boss triumvirate was Jennifer Aniston as the dentist Dr. Julia Harris and boss to dental hygienist Dale. For some strange reason, Dale has engendered himself in such a way that Julia is constantly saying or doing something inappropriate in his presence. Aniston takes to her role as the randy dentist well. And for the sake of novelty, it is mildly entertaining watching this all-American girl next door being so overtly provocative. To no fault of Aniston, however, the shtick wears itself out by the end of the movie.

While the bosses are all important to the plot of the movie, the three disheartened employees are the pull. Each of the players compliment the other quite well and create quite a few laughs throughout the film.

Charlie Day is especially enjoyable as the manic, jittery Dale. For those fans of his work on “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” the film role isn’t much of a departure, but it’s interesting to see him in a new dude dynamic with the understated Nick (Bateman) and the goofy Lothario, Kurt (Sudeikis).

Despite the macabre element of the plot, there is nothing resolutely unique about the movie. The laughs that come are all centered around the usual masculine trinity of sex, the son of sex and that holy ghost of sex.

There’s nothing ground-breaking about any of it, but as the debates around D.C. drag on about the budget and the state of the economy, seeing a film that allows you to check your head at the door and just enjoy some old-fashioned anal humor in a dark room for 90 minutes can be a rejuvenating experience.

• Horrible Bosses is playing at the Carmike 14 and the Malco Cinema 12 in Fort Smith, and the Malco Van Buren Cinema. Link here for time and ticket info.

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