FOLIO
by Rick Grant
This scenario is funny because of deft direction by Seth Gordon, a well written script by Michael Marches, and perfect comedic timing by the cast. More importantly, everyone can identify with the story of bad bosses. Indeed, in my case, I’ve fantasized about plotting to kill one or two of my bosses over the years.
So the material is ripe for outrageous satire and comedic situations. The trio of best friends –Nick, (Jason Bateman) Dale, (Charlie Day) and Kurt (Jason Sudeikis) meet at their favorite bar to complain about their respective cruel bosses.
Nick’s boss, Dave Harken (Kevin Spacey) sets him up for ridicule and he just takes it. Dave is sadistic and just plain mean to all his employees.
Dale is a dental assistant with a sex crazed female dentist boss, played skillfully by Jennifer Aniston. She sexually harasses him with blatant unwelcome come-ons.
Kurt worked for a wonderful man (Donald Sutherland) who suddenly died and is replaced by his coke addled son, Bobby Pellitt, played by an unrecognizable Colin Farrell. He orders Kurt to fire all the fat and disabled people.
Sure, these bosses are despicable creeps who deserve some serious pranks to change their attitude. But murder? Yes, the bumbling trio decides these buttheads have to go. So they actually go looking for a hitman in a seedy part of town.
There they encounter MF Jones (Jamie Foxx) who easily cons these idiots out of 5 grand as their murder consultant. He advises them to kill each others bosses, but make it look like an accident.
Knowing the low mental functioning of these inept murder plotters, things don’t go as planned and the laughs just keep coming.
The boss murdering gang can’t do anything right but somehow the universe is aligned on their side. Events happen that blow their minds and keeps them out of jail. This leads to more complex confusion that makes for many guffaw producing moments.
Charlie Day from “It’s Always Sunny…” is a cast standout and a very funny dude. Each cast member cleverly develops their respective character to reach maximum laugh potential.
The “confederacy of dunces” get their payback but in bizarre ways. Yes, I laughed from beginning to end, including the out-takes as the credits roll. The cast present the same level of comedic chemistry that fueled “The Hangover 1 & 2.” This could be the most popular comedy of the year. Just sitting here writing this review, I’m still laughing at the scenes in this movie.
For most people this picture will be wish fulfillment without the life in prison sentence.
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