An original idea for a comedy that works for the most part

Rating: Null/10 (31 July 2011)

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning
Nick (Jason Bateman) has his heart set on promotion at work, but finds his psychotic boss Mr. Harken (Kevin Spacey) has taken it for himself, and leaves him in no uncertain terms he'll make his life hell if he kicks up any trouble. Things aren't much better for his friend Dale (Charlie Day) who's being sexually harassed by his boss (Jennifer Aniston) who's able to manipulate him at her whim. And the same goes for Kenny (PJ Byrne) who's forced to contend with his new boss, the crass, moronic son of the guy he used to work for. Altogether, these guys conspire to make their lives better and kill the bosses who are making their lives so unbearable. Needless to say, they have trouble pulling this off...
If there's one thing a lot of people can relate to more than anything at the moment, especially in a day and age where a poor and uncertain economic climate is forcing them to stay in jobs they can no longer bear, it's hating their bosses, especially if they're completely unbearable people. So director Seth Gordon has an inspired concept at hand with this tale of a group of men who're driven to try and make them pay the ultimate price. Of course, being a film and with the primary purpose of providing entertainment value, these boss characters are exaggerated caricatures (the slave driver, the ball buster etc.) and this is the type of comedy film that's been doing the rounds a lot lately, with the typical sort of gross out, facile humour that modern audiences love (including 'Hornblower' star Ioan Gruffold as a man who offers a very particular (but unclear) service over the internet) that is consistent, but gets lost over the course of a wavey plot that meanders and loses it's flow a little, leaving the experience not quite the sum of it's parts.
Cast wise, Spacey surprises as the funniest, another ability to his dramatic range, while as HB No. 2, Aniston turns what should be every guy's fantasy into a warped nightmare. Colin Farrell can do comedy, as In Bruges proved, but his screen time here is a bit limited and he isn't really given enough time and material to make the most of his character. With regards the three put upon protagonists, the set up is almost identical to The Hangover, with three unknowns playing the leads who most of the comedic escapades hang on, and while the results aren't quite as successful, Horrible Bosses is still more than a good laugh and a really clever idea. ***