Due Date Reviews

I wasn't sure what to expect from this flick but since I have a weak spot for Robert Downer Jr., I thought I should give it a try. Honestly, it was pretty obvious what the producers were up to. Following the surprising massive success of 'The Hangover', they decided to quickly cash-in on the popularity of the new funny guy in town, Zach Galifianakis. In the directing chair, you have again Todd Phillips and as the sparring partner, you have Robert Downer Jr., hotter than ever, so it sounded like a pretty good combo. Unfortunately, I didn't like it much, I'm afraid. Basically, it is some kind of a remake of 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles' and even though I enjoyed this classic, it didn't really blow me away like good old Roger Ebert. Anyway, this new version didn't add much to the formula and I had really a hard time to care for the whole thing. Even though Galifianakis' character was more obnoxious than funny, Downey Jr. delivered the goods as usual and saved me from total boredom. There were a few cameos, some totally wasted (Juliette Lewis, Jamie Foxx) and some pretty good (RZA, Danny McBride) but, again, they didn't redeem the whole thing. To conclude, I think I'm being rather generous with my rating but I guess it is still worth a look, especially if you like the genre or the actors involved.

I loved the pairing of Robert Downey, Jr, and Zach Galifianakis. This movie was very funny from the time the two were thrown together until the end of the movie. Some moments were a little too much to watch, but other than that, I spent a lot of time laughing as the two journey to get home in time for the arrival of "Peter's" baby's birth.

Zach Galifianakis is genius with his awkward comedy, and is so very different from how I first saw him when he was on "Tru Calling" years ago.

"Check yourself before you reck yourself." Todd Phillips never dissapoints, even when he has top notch actors in his films. This movie might not be the funniest of his movies, but defiantly had a few good laugh out loud moments. There are a lot better Phillips films, but to a new comer to his films this is good to start out with. Robert Downey Jr. was the douche of this movie, but also had some funny lines. Galifanakis was hilarious as always. Just an above average comedy with some good laughs.

"If I miss the birth of my own child, I'm gonna choke you out with your own scarf. Wrap that thing 'round your head, and choke you out."

After 2009's surprise hit The Hangover, one would think that reuniting director Todd Phillips with the inimitable Zach Galifianakis would lead to another laugh-till-you-drop comedy. Add the tremendously talented Robert Downey Jr. to the equation, and Due Date's prospects would seem to be stratospheric - it'd have to be impossible for the film not to register as at least moderately amusing. But unfortunately, Due Date is proof that pedigree doesn't mean everything. Plus, due to its basic plot outline, it would be easy to compare Due Date to John Hughes' hilarious and heartbreaking 1987 feature Planes, Trains & Automobiles. Indeed, this could be considered a loose remake of Hughes' classic. But while Planes, Trains & Automobiles confidently stands tall as one of the greatest comedies of the '80s, Due Date comes off as a pale, uninspired rendition lacking in wit which will be easily forgotten in a few years' time.

With his pregnant wife Sarah (Monaghan) scheduled to undergo a C-section in a matter of days, irritable, tense businessman Peter Highman (Downey Jr.) plans to fly home to Los Angeles after finishing his Atlanta business tip. Unfortunately for Peter, he has a slight altercation on the plane with uncouth fellow passenger Ethan Tremblay (Galifianakis) which leads to both of them being kicked off the flight and placed on the no-fly list. Unfortunately, too, Peter's wallet (and thus his ID and money) is missing, so he has little choice but to pair up with Ethan (who's looking to make amends) on a disastrous cross-country car ride which severely tests Peter's sanity and limited good nature.

Galifianakis exhibits reasonable comic timing and delivers effective pathos during the more dramatic moments, but his character is nonetheless every bit as irritating as Peter perceives him as, and Peter's frustrations over his companion are perfectly understandable. Then again, Peter is not a nice guy himself since he both physically and verbally berates Ethan. Sure, dark humour works when done right, but Due Date is too uncomfortable and therefore sporadically boring throughout. Plus, while the deep affection and understanding that accumulates between Steve Martin and John Candy is evident in Planes, Trains & Automobiles, the friendship between Peter and Ethan in Due Date ultimately comes too late in the game and feels forced by the requirements of the generic script. It took four writers to assemble the screenplay for Due Date (Alan R. Cohen, Alan Freedland, Adam Sztykiel and director Phillips himself), yet the quartet missed the mark in their attempt to replicate the genuine humour and deep-seated humanity which characterised Planes, Trains & Automobiles.

People should be wary of comedy trailers - marketing executives tend to assemble a montage of the funniest moments in the movie being advertised, and leave out the comparative dross. Due Date is another case of this. That's not to argue the film is entirely devoid of laughs, as there are a few amusing gags (95% of which were seen in the trailers). Downey and Galifianakis admittedly share reasonable comedic chemistry, but this merely results in a few flickers of what this film could have been with a superior script (I suspect the on-set footage and outtakes are funnier than what wound up in the final cut). What's also disappointing is that, while individual moments earn a chuckle or two, there are no entire scenes which work. Rather, the laughs are tragically sporadic. In addition, there are several moments which are not just unfunny, but serious and uncomfortable. The serious material is ineffective because one only attends a film like this in the hopes of finding surface-level hilarity. If anything other than hilarity is on the menu, we're not interested - especially if there are serious moments which make us feel uncomfortable while we're watching the film.

For 2009's The Hangover, Galifianakis played his character of Alan with a well-timed balance of spacey and stupidity, resulting in a scene-stealing performance. Hollywood likes one-trick ponies, of course, so the role of Ethan Tremblay is essentially a bigger and broader version of Alan in a main starring capacity. The shtick, however, wears out its welcome rapidly here, and the material is simply not strong enough. Worse, Galifianakis is nowhere near as endearing or as lovable as John Candy was in Planes, Trains & Automobiles. Meanwhile, this is not Robert Downey Jr. at his best. Admittedly, the role of a straight man is not particularly challenging or fulfilling, but Downey lacks verve and energy as Peter. In thankless supporting roles, a wasted Michelle Monaghan is mainly seen talking on a phone, Jamie Foxx awkwardly shows up as Peter's friend Daryl but exits with little impact, and Danny McBride is unremarkable in his one single scene. Also in the cast is Juliette Lewis as a drug dealer named Heidi. Could Juliette's inclusion be a nod to Todd Phillips' earlier film Old School, where the actress also played a character named Heidi?

With most of the comic highlights and payoffs having been spoiled in the trailers, Due Date is not as funny as it wants to be, nor as emotional or as heartfelt as its occasional serious moments intend. Cars flip, dogs masturbate, and Peter is injured in various ways, but it's an awfully gloomy, boring drag because the material is pointlessly callous. Due Date is not deftly dark (like Bad Santa), but instead uninspired and uncomfortable. Nothing that happens to Robert Downey Jr. is even half as funny as anything that happened to him in his last buddy movie, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang...and that film wasn't even a comedy. Galifianakis is no Val Kilmer, let alone John Candy. Perhaps The Hangover will stand as a one-off phenomenon that filmmakers will constantly attempt to replicate with little success.

4.1/10

Strengths: interplay/relationship between Downey & Galifianakis, excellent comedic moments, Danny McBride, RZA as an airport screener, soundtrack that complements the film well (as opposed to The Hangover where most of the songs made no sense with the scenes)

Weaknesses: ridiculous/unbelievable premise, few surprises, some "I knew that was coming" moments, time vs. Juliette Lewis, Jamie Foxx's character is mostly pointless, functional but forgettable supporting cast

Verdict: If you don't bother to think too much (or perhaps at all) it's a thoroughly entertaining road comedy, just nothing original. The best reason to see it is for Downey vs. Galifianakis, especially if you're a fan of either/both of them.

Not great.

However didn't really matter as I caught myself drifting off drooling at the extreme SWOONWORTHY RDJ. Amaze.