As I said in my review for Megamind, the first weekend of November sets the tone for the Holiday Movie Season, and while Megamind clearly catered to children, Due Date made sure that older audiences had something to enjoy at the theater. Given the popularity of the two lead actors and the natural appeal of a road comedy, studio expectations were very high. Robert Downey Jr.’s career has been skyrocketing with the Iron Man franchise and other box-office hits like Tropic Thunder and Sherlock Holmes, and Zach Galifianakis has been charming audiences since his breakout performance in 2009’s The Hangover; putting these two together seemed like a recipe for comedic gold. The road film genre always has a relatively simple formula, finding characters traveling from point A and point B while encountering various obstacles…while it didn’t seem like there would be anything terribly unique about the plot of Due Date, marketers clearly tried to convince audiences that the interaction between Downey and Galifianakis would be enough to “drive” the film. As a big fan of both actors, I could have cared less if the plot was unique or emotionally deep, I was just expecting a good laugh with Due Date.
I am pleased to report that I was not disappointed with Due Date; I found it absolutely hysterical and completely agree with critics who have dubbed it a new comedy classic. Though the film started a little slow, once Downey’s aggravated sarcasm and Galifianakis’ childish ignorance start to conflict, audiences are treated to one of the funniest and most quotable films I have seen in a while. As can be expected, Downey is at his funniest when his character loses his temper, while Galifianakis essentially plays the same character that made him famous in The Hangover, and this gloriously mismatched odd couple spells some big laughs. However, I will admit that if you are not a fan of Galifianakis’ brand of humor, his buffoonish behavior could get pretty aggravating pretty fast. If you’re looking for a deep emotional journey or a wholly original plot, then Due Date will clearly fall short, but if all you want is a good laugh, then sit back and enjoy.
For more information, please read the full review.
Overall Recommendation: High
