Give "Date Night" A Chance

"Date Night," directed by Shawn Levy ("Night at the Museum" and its sequel), is proof that casting can make all the difference. The plot isn’t complicated, in fact it’s somewhat predictable and preposterous, but the comedic sense and timing of its stars make it entertaining and funny.

Steve Carrell and Tina Fey play Phil and Claire Foster, who describe themselves as just another boring couple from New Jersey. They’re so exhausted from juggling two jobs and two kids that they prefer sleep to their usual date night out. Their date consists of the same dinner at the same restaurant while making fun of other couples (improv fodder for Carrell and Fey). This doesn’t bother the Fosters until their friends (played by Mark Ruffalo and Kristen Wiig) shock them with the news that they are divorcing.

Suddenly the Fosters are inspired to do something different. They dress up and head into New York City to visit one of the hottest new seafood restaurants, "The Claw, you’re welcome” is how they answer the phones. But the Fosters don’t have a reservation.

They wait at the bar for a call that won’t come until Phil decides to respond to a call for “Tripplehorn, party of two,” an apparent no-show. And that’s when their date night troubles begin.

The Fosters enjoy their evening as the Tripplehorns until a case of mistaken identity drags them into the middle of a blackmailing scheme gone wrong. This involves crooked cops, a well-known mob boss (played by Ray Liotta) and the District Attorney (William Fichtner) who has a weakness for strip clubs.  This leads the Fosters on an all-night trek around the city in search of the real Tripplehorns and the flash drive everyone is demanding be returned.

"Date Night" sounds over the top and wacky (which it is!), but it is somehow grounded by its stars who share the straight man role to the rest of the film’s crazy characters. Carrell and Fey are natural as husband and wife. Perhaps it’s because they’re married to the same network (NBC), with their own TV shows—"The Office" and "30 Rock"—airing within the same hour. Or it’s because they both come from similar comedic and writing backgrounds.

Fey is the former head writer and cast member of "Saturday Night Live" and although Carrell was never on "SNL" (he auditioned, but was never cast), his comedic roots parallel Fey’s. Before he was writing and acting in films, Carrell wrote and starred in Dana Carvey’s ("SNL" veteran) short-lived comedy sketch show on ABC and was a reoccurring reporter on Comedy Central’s "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart." Both Carrell and Fey successfully juggle family with busy careers in TV and film.

Phil Foster is wiser than Carrell’s other alter ego, Michael Scott, but is just as goofy when he’s in a tight spot. Claire is exactly like Fey's "30 Rock" character, Liz Lemon, if Liz found a husband, quit showbiz, and moved to the suburbs to sell real estate. Fey consistently casts herself as the witty, strong female type, which she portrays in "Date Night," and I hope she never stops playing this role.

It is clear both Carrell and Fey bring their own style to their characters once the end-of-the-film credit outtakes roll. Their style is what makes you willing to embark on this farcical adventure to get home safely to the kids.

Some of the funniest scenes include well-casted cameos. The best one is a toss up. When the Fosters need help, Claire remembers a former client who is a security expert that lives in the city. Phil quickly finds out why her memory is so good—Mark Walhberg plays a very buff and shirtless Grant Holbrooke. And then there’s the real “Tripplehorns”—clueless, petty thieves—played by James Franco and Mila Kunis who show the Fosters what passion is. One minute they’re bickering over how to properly blackmail someone and the next?

The dialogue is funnier than the action although it has one of the funniest strip pole dances I’ve ever seen. While I’m sure Carrell and Fey contributed bits here and there with their improv styles, the credit should go to writer Josh Klausner.   Klausner wrote for all four installments of the Shrek films ("Shrek Forever After" comes out this summer), which also explains the film’s rapid fire jokes.

So what’s the lesson? Call ahead when dining out.

But seriously, this movie is most amusing for married couples.  It’s not your traditional boy meets girl romantic comedy. In fact it’s more action than romance.  It finds the humor in marriage’s obstacles and how trust and compromise are crucial for a couple’s survival. It’s the difference between making it work or realizing you’re just “really great roommates” as the Foster’s friends discovered. This comedy's message may be relevant given the on-going media attention to famous couple breakups. (Sandra and Tiger and Larry—oh my!)

"Date Night" is a refreshingly short 88 minutes. It’s rated PG-13 for some language and sexual content—it manages to fit in the one F-bomb permitted with this rating. I guess that’s information that should have been shared with the parents who brought along their talkative toddlers to the theater. It’s not a family film.

I really enjoyed this film, but you might wait for it to come out on DVD. That or call the babysitter so you can see this comical adventure with your spouse or significant other alone. Either way, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.