Horrible Bosses Is Easily The Best Comedy Of The Year!

Rating: 9/10 (8 July 2011)

There have already been two major comedy releases this summer, in the form of The Hangover Part 2 and Bridesmaids, but Horrible Bosses puts both of those to shame. With ease.
Director Seth Gordon (The King of Kong) has put together an absolutely fantastic dark comedy, full of hilarious dialog, raunchy humor, and an exceptionally strong cast. The real treat of the film, much like 2009's The Hangover, is the in the execution. So many aspects of the film come together in just the right way, with exceptional comedic timing, that you simply can't help but to enjoy the ride.
Horrible Bosses stars Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, and Jason Sudeikis as three good friends who all have the same problem: they hate their bosses. Albeit for different reasons, of course. Bateman's boss, Dave Harken (Kevin Spacey), is an egotistical jerk. Day's boss, Julia Harris (Jennifer Anniston), is a sex-craved maniac, while Sudeikis' new boss, Bobby Pellitt (Colin Farrell) is a coke head. The film gives the audience plenty of good reasons to hate these bosses, which helps to relate to the friends' idea of murdering them.
What starts out as an off-joke one night between friends blossoms into something more dark and sinister than one would think, with the three friends actually going out of their way to dispose of one another's bosses. They can't handle their work environment, and the film's script gives very good reasons as to why switching jobs really isn't an option. This is key in relating to and believing in the script.
Despite what the trailers may lead you to believe, most of the time within the film really isn't spent establishing the murders. Instead, the jokes are found within the concept, giving the three actors plenty of time to entertain you. You're not watching three men plot to murder their bosses; you're watching three men ponder the plot of how to murder their bosses. There's a fine distinction here, and the script does a great job of establishing the difference.
Seth Gordon does a fantastic job directing here, adding a layer of intensity to the dark subject matter. The script is nearly perfect, offering the right amount of dark and crude humor with a great amount of solid, unforgettable laughs.
Outside of those two concepts, Horrible Bosses really shines in two great ways. The three stars of the film, Bateman, Day, and Sudeikis, have fantastic chemistry here. The three play off of one another in such a manner that you can't help but laugh. Each is bringing a drastically different character to life (though arguably Bateman is still playing the same man he plays in every movie), and their interactions are key to the audience enjoying the film. The group truly works well together, much like a great ensemble should, and we only hope a sequel is quickly green-lit.
The other amazing component of the film is the supporting cast, which couldn't be more perfect. Spacey is clearly enjoying his dark, disturbing role as an office jerk, spending much of the film steam-rolling anyone who gets in his way. Every so often you can even catch a slight hint in Spacey's eyes that he's enjoying himself. Maybe a little too much.
Colin Farrell completely disappears into the role of Bobby. His despicable manners and attitude toward other human beings is absolutely hilarious. He's nearly unrecognizable in the part, and it's fantastic to see a role where Farrell is out of his comfort zone.
And last, but not least, is Jennifer Anniston's Julia Harris, the sexually harassing, foul-mouthed and loathsome creature. She spends much of her time on screen making one sex joke after another, and it's great to see her playing a character completely unique to her past. Horrible Bosses is easily Anniston's best film to date, though that might not be saying much.
If you've enjoyed movies like The Hangover or Bridesmaids, you'll love Horrible Bosses. It is simply the best comedy so far this summer, and deserves to be seen in theaters. It's a must-own once it hits retail shelves. Horrible Bosses is one movie not to miss this summer.
Our Rating: 4 out of 5 Reels