DUE DATE
RYAN: Due Date is a new broad comedy from Warner Bros. starring Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis and directed by Todd Phillips of The Hangover fame.
CAROLINE: We’re not used to seeing Mr. Downey Jr. in comedic roles lately, so that’s one thing this movie has going for it. But other than that, I really wasn’t looking forward to it because of how unfunny the trailer is.
RYAN: Robert Downey totally makes it worthwhile though. He’s one of my favorite actors, and he’s so easy to look at. And he’s been so nice every time we’ve interviewed him on the red carpet.
CAROLINE: Absolutely. I’ll see basically anything he’s in. But overall, I didn’t love this movie.
RYAN: I didn’t either, but I think RD Jr. gives a strong performance.
CAROLINE: He was great, and I loved seeing him be full out comedic like this. He actually made me laugh harder than Zach Galifianakis sometimes, just because you’re not necessarily expecting him to be funny.
RYAN: He has some lines that wouldn’t have been as funny in the hands of other actors. And I definitely thought he was funnier than Zach G.
CAROLINE: I was fully prepared to hate Zach G. in this movie because he kind of annoys me in general and I don’t really get him, but he actually won me over. I found him a little bit endearing. He really commits to the character, with his funny walk and the help of some horrible acid wash jeans.
RYAN: There is definitely fashion humor in this movie. I laughed whenever I saw what Zach was wearing. His Lilith Fair t-shirt is priceless. His hair does some acting too, and much is made of it throughout the movie.
CAROLINE: I laughed out loud a few times early on, but then the laughs became fewer and further between. There are several groan-worthy moments too. It got waayyy silly and over the top at times, and a few scenes were just flat-out gross.
RYAN: Yeah – I don’t mind suspending disbelief every so often, but in this movie I actually got frustrated by some of the outrageous things that happened. I really liked the supporting cast though, and definitely would have liked more of Juliette Lewis.
CAROLINE: She’s so good. I love how she randomly pops up in Todd Phillips movies.
RYAN: To me she’s fast becoming the best character actress out there. I also didn’t hate Jamie Foxx for a change.
CAROLINE: Well, his part is pretty small so he didn’t have time to annoy us. It was kind of fun seeing him in this, especially since he didn’t overstay his welcome. And there’s also Michelle Monaghan as RD Jr.’s very pregnant wife. She didn’t have a ton to do, but I always like her.
— BOTTOM LINE —
CAROLINE: Even though the laughs were there in parts, it’s no great shakes. I think I was only able to enjoy it as much as I did because of the chemistry that RD Jr. and Zach Galifianakis had. They’re fun to watch.
RYAN: It’s not a total waste of time by any means, but it’s not like it’s laugh out loud hilarious throughout. And it’s not Oscar worthy even though it’s coming out during Oscar season. I like Robert Downey Jr. enough to see anything he does, and he doesn’t disappoint in this. But I think you can enjoy this movie on TV just fine; it’s not a must see in the theater.
— RATING —
