Due Date

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis, Michelle Monaghan, Jamie Foxx, Juliette Lewis, Danny McBride, RZA, Matt Walsh
Directed by: Todd Phillips
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, Drama
2010

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A man (Robert Downey Jr.) trying to get home to Los Angeles is forced to car pool with an annoying stranger (Zach Galifianakis). He pushes him to his limit, but is desparate to make it home in time for the birth.

Review:

Tim: I was cautiously optimistic about this film. It featured two actors enjoying major success right now (Robert Downey Jr. for Iron Man and Zach Galifianakis for The Hangover), and a director responsible for some classic comedies (like the aforementioned The Hangover and Old School). This sounded like a recipe for success. Unfortunately, the trailer didn't exactly make this movie look very good or very funny. Still, I was willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. I believed this could have worked.

Unfortunately, this movie falls short of its potential. It is decently funny, but not especially memorable or effective. I laughed a few times throughout the film and I was mostly entertained. However, there was nothing special about this film. It is too forgettable. There's too many jokes and scenes that don't work especially well. The characters are hard to care about. There's simply a laundry list of flaws that prevent this movie from being very good.

As much as I like Robert Downey Jr., I didn't really enjoy him in this role. He's clearly the lead actor, and yet, it's very hard to like him. He's just such an awful person, and we never really understand the reason for it. Sure, we learn something about his family growing up, but that felt like the set up for a joke, nothing more. The movie never gives us a reason to root for him or care about him at all. Downey plays him in such a way that we might laugh at his situation, but he forgot to make him a compelling, capable character. He felt weak.

I also have some complaints about Zach Galifianakis. He does have some funny moments, but he also has far too many annoying, stupid moments. I worry that after the success of The Hangover, Galifianakis is going to become a one-trick pony. His character felt far too similar to his one in that film, which hurts this film by comparison. He's certainly a funny guy, but I didn't love his performance here.

The supporting cast almost didn't matter. Jamie Foxx was a nice addition, but he was given nothing to do. Michelle Monaghan is great, but she had no impact on the overall film. Juliette Lewis was another nice casting choice, but I forgot about her almost as soon as her scene ended. I loved seeing Danny McBride, but his one scene prevented him from achieving too much.

While I'm being pretty critical of many aspects of this film, there were things I really appreciated, too. The basic idea might be silly, but it's interesting- a man has to get from Atlanta to Los Angeles to see the birth of his first child. He's forced to car pool with the most annoying man you can imagine. Those thousands of miles become a prison from which he can't escape. That is a great set up for a movie. The execution falters, but the idea is pretty good. There's also some very funny moments throughout the film. Not enough funny moments, but they are legitimately there once in a while.

Due Date might have some good moments, but the film as a whole suffers from its flaws. Comedies are certainly difficult beasts, and this one doesn't do enough to set it apart. This film is decent, but nothing more than that. I wanted to like this movie more, but I simply could not bring myself to do it. This film had loads of potential, but could not deliver.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend:
The Hangover; Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang; Dinner for Schmucks, Road Trip