She Said/He Said
Date Night/Clash of the Titans 3-D
By Jamie D. Ruccio
May 4, 2010
BoxOfficeProphets.com
It's ironic, then, that our first choice of a movie to review is Date Night, the film starring Tina Fey and Steve Carell. They play Claire and Phil Foster, a couple from New Jersey. They have two kids, who wake them up at 5 a.m. with knees to the stomach, and the lives of adults filled with lists of responsibilities. They treat themselves to dinner on date nights at local eateries where they play the couple's game of dissecting other couple's circumstances. In a fit of spontaneity, one night they decide to put on their best clothes and venture out to a new, hot restaurant in Manhattan without a reservation. The only way to obtain a table is for them to "steal" another the reservation of another couple - the Tripplehorns.
All goes well as the Fosters enjoy their special evening until two intimidating men appear at their table and request to have a conversation outside. Taken to the alley, the two men demand a mysterious flash drive. Completely baffled, the Fosters explain that they are not actually the Tripplehorns but the Fosters. After a quick scene of hijinks, which sets off the rest of the comedic tone of the movie, the Fosters escape. Thus, the set-up for Date Night is complete and Fey and Carell are free to be unleashed in a sort of anti- Mr. & Mrs. Smith story.
In the hands of less capable actors and writers, Date Night would likely fail under the flaws that permeate the movie. From the moment the movie opens, the set-up is stale, typical and belabored. Its leaden heavy-handiness is wielded with the finesse of a hammer to the face. As it progresses, it often stops in the middle of the hilarity to deliver more exposition on the dangers of not being Carpe Diem enough. The worst example is when the Fosters again escape from their pursuers in a exotic sports car and Phil literally pulls over to expound on their lives.
It's these odd, pace killing bits that weigh the movie down, as the creative team is so clearly intent on delivering the idea that adults in committed relationships also need to focus on maintaining the youthful spark (have no fear, Caroline and I do this with movie dates and the subsequent writing of movie reviews and modeling some of our adventures after Nick and Nora Charles...minus the murders and detective work).
But there's plenty to enjoy in this movie as well. As mentioned, Fey and Carell are marvelous, Fey especially. She's never afraid to be on the wrong end of a joke. While fans of hers will slide easily into her self-deprecating punch lines, she also veers into less familiar territory as she plays a character who is the antithesis of Liz Lemon, her character from the hit show 30 Rock. Carell is also quite funny while playing a slightly more familiar character. Yet, his fans will not be disappointed.
Where the movie unexpectedly excels, however, is in the numerous cameos. Ray Liotta, who I think had the cheaper version of the "Burt Reynolds Surgery Special," Mark Wahlberg (I'm writing this and I don't care who reads it...he needs to either work out just a bit more or realize that washboard abs aren't permanent), James Franco and Mila Kunis William Fichtner (in a truly funny bit), all have surprisingly good performances. You'll never think of Sex Robots the same way again.
In the end, Date Night exists on the strength of the performances of Fey and Carell while it somewhat plods to its expected conclusion of conflict resolution and relationship renewal. It does not quite live up to its potential available in Fey and Carell and has a few missteps, but it's a decent enough movie for a couple to enjoy together.
Also, one of the things I absolutely enjoy about Caroline is her desire to experience things that fit firmly in the realm of "Guys." She's ever a lady but enjoys sporting contests like the best of wingman (who else goes to Vegas with her man to watch two grown men attempt to beat the ever loving snot out of each other, while dressed gorgeously in show quality crimson and black?) and she'll gladly see every dopey guy movie that comes along. She does these things not as a good spouse but because she enjoys them (I go to figure skating shows). This explains our exposure to Clash of the Titans…3D.
Intrepid movie goers that we are, we try very hard not to be swayed by prevailing sentiment but this is an example of perhaps being better for listening to the general public. Clash of the Titans…3D is a mess.
Loosely based on Greek Mythology (sort of) and the 1981 original (sort of), Clash of the Titans…3D I think the story is about Perseus, the demi-god son of Zeus and a mortal woman. He needs to kill Medusa and use the beheaded power of the creature as a weapon against the giant Scandinavian (?) sea creature, the Kraken, which threatens the city of Argos with tentacle-y destruction. Why the writers of this movie felt the need to disregard that which is available to them with the completeness of Greek Mythology is a mystery.
Clash of the Titans…3D is well aware of its movie origins, however, and is so incredibly earnest that it may suffer from campy re-viewings in the years to come, complete with costumed audiences and response lines. This could be its fate or it could make just enough at the box office apparently to warrant a sequel and stave off crowds of college students in togas and cardboard swords at midnight showings, which it rightly deserves.
The movie does share one distant connection with its predecessor from the '80s in its ability to have somehow ensnared a decent cast. Liam Neeson as Zeus and Ralph Fiennes as Hades seem enjoy the challenge of elevating the material but fail completely. Sam Worthington as Perseus had yet another chance to distinguish himself in an action film and also failed to do so. It's not that he's flawed so much as forgettable. Mads Mikkelsen, most recognizable to audiences as Le Chiffre from 2008's James Bond flick Quantum of Solace, is interesting as Draco, a sort of captain of a Praetorian Guard organization. Pete Postlethwaite plays Spyros, the mortal adoptive father of Perseus, who bares an uncanny resemblance to Eddie Vedder when they slap a brown wig and beard on him early in the film. I spent the next five minutes singing Pearl Jam songs in my head. However, I usually am thankful for anything that gives him work. Hopefully, whatever was earned from this movie will allow him to do a few other films worthy of his talents.
And now to the 3D. I refer to it as Clash of the Titans…3D because it's entirely obvious that the 3D effects were an afterthought. There were brief moments, especially in the beginning and the final climatic scene, which passed reasonably for 3D but in no way should anyone be under the misguided assertion that this is done with the same care and thought as was Avatar, the movie which reintroduced the technology to audiences. The inclusion of the technology was a brazen and crass attempt to get some of that 3D Avatar money and those involved in the decision should be rightly shunned and ashamed.
Clash of the Titans - We Did It All for the 3D Money is a titanic waste of time. Meanwhile, feel free to grab a funny member of the opposite gender and see Date Night. Caroline and I will heed the LESSON of Date Night and do better at pausing every once in awhile to see a movie or two and let you all know what we think (between purchasing a place to live and cocktails).