Date Night

Plot: Wanting to make date night special, a married couple (Carell & Fey) go into the city and try to get into a new popular restaurant. But when it's full, Phil (Carell) decides to take the reservation of a couple who doesn't show up. While they're having dinner two men approach them thinking they are the people whose reservation they took. This case of mistaken identity turns their attempt at a glamorous and romantic evening into something more thrilling and dangerous.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02SPZyauli4

Clip: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1477183257/

Starring: Emmy nominee Steve Carell ("The Office" & Dinner For Schmucks), 7X Emmy winner Tina Fey ("30 Rock"), Oscar nominee Mark Wahlberg (The Departed & The Other Guys), Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button & The Karate Kid (2010)), Jimmi Simpson ("Party Down"), Common (Just Wright & Terminator Salvation), William Fichtner ("Entourage" & The Dark Knight), Leighton Meester ("Gossip Girl"), 2X Emmy nominee Kristen Wiig ("SNL"), Indie Spirit nominee Mark Ruffalo (You Can Count on Me & The Kids Are All Right), Emmy nominee James Franco (James Dean (TV) & Eat Pray Love), Mila Kunis ("Family Guy"), Emmy winner Will i Am (Yes We Can(V) & Arthur and the Revenge of the Maltazard), Michelle Galdenzi ("Entourage" & "Scream Queens"), Stacey Scowley ("Dollhouse"),Emmy winner Ray Liotta ("ER" & Charlie St.Cloud).

Written by: Josh Klausner (Shrek the Third & Shrek Forever After)

Directed by: Shawn Levy (Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian)

Review: Carell and Fey are movie magic. When I saw the trailer for this movie, I got really excited about it for the two leads. It did not disappoint. Not a very original concept, but very funny. They had a lot of chemistry, it had some clever survival moments, fun stunt work (especially that car chase scene), and quite a few laughs. Check out the bloopers that reveal just how many lines were improvised. It also had a nice supporting cast including Franco and Kunis as a petty criminal couple. The only negative part to this movie was the first scene with Wahlberg. It made me like Fey's character less because she was so inappropriate around him, and Meester was sorely underused. She deserved a larger role. Other than that, I really enjoyed this movie.

Fun Facts: In the scene where Tina Fey's character is preparing for bed, she is shown wearing a "University of Virginia" T-shirt. Tina Fey graduated there in 1992. There is an additional scene after the credits. The name of the club, Peppermint Hippo, is a reference to episode 706 of South Park, "Li'l Crime Stoppers," where the main characters play junior detectives. The club is a spoof of an existing gentleman's club, Spearmint Rhino.

Rating:

Writing-B

Acting-A

Directing-B

Music-B

Cinematography-B

Editing-A

Hair-A

Makeup-B

Costumes-A

Art Direction-A

Visual Effects-A

"Stamped Out but worth seeing"