Summer 2011 has proved to be a hotbed of huge Superhero blockbusters, all battling for box office supremacy. But if you’re tired of constant action and explosions then Four Christmases’ Seth Gordon may have the perfect solution.
Horrible Bosses (Gordon’s second studio feature) is without doubt the comedy of the year so far; the concept behind the movie is something most of the population can relate to (an employee’s hatred of his/her boss); and during a time of economic depression, this film will hit home with those who have always dreamt of a life without the frustrations of dealing with their employer.
The film follows three friends Nick (Jason Bateman, Arrested Development), Kurt (Jason Sudeikis, Hall Pass) and Dale (Charlie Day, It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia) who are all the victims of workplace suffering. Nick, a career chasing workaholic, is tormented by his egotistical, back stabbing boss Dave Harken (Kevin Spacey, American Beauty) and is made to believe he is up for promotion, only for Harken to cruelly snatch the opportunity away to re-affirm his position at the top of the company; pushing Nick to the verge of quitting, only for Harken to threaten to get him blackballed from the financial sector unless he continues to follow his orders.
Kurt, the only character to enjoy his work life at the beginning of the story, plies his trade working for the loveable Jack Pellitt (Donald Sutherland, The Dirty Dozen) and his not so loveable son Bobby (Colin Farrell, In Bruges); who, after Jack dies as a result of a sudden heart attack, is left to run, and completely ruin, his father’s business, and begins firing the majority of the staff and replacing them with masseurs and prostitutes, much to Kurt’s dismay.
And then there’s the newly engaged Dale, a dental assistant who believes his life is perfect, apart from the fact that he is constantly sexually harassed by his nymphomaniac superior Dr. Julia Harris (Jennifer Anniston, Friends). He tries his best to ignore the dentist’s aggressive advances, but after being knocked unconscious and photographed in uncompromising positions, Dale is forced to endure Julia’s advances with the threat of blackmail over his head, and so the three friends ultimately admit they have no choice but to kill all of their bosses in order to lead happy lives, and eliminate their work problems once and for all.
Although Nick, Kurt and Dale provide the focus of the film, the real show stealers are the three bosses; don’t get me wrong, Bateman, Sudeikis and Day are more than adequate in their roles as three frustrated average Joe’s, but against a psychopath, a nymphomaniac and a cocaine addict they were always going to come second best in the audience’s interests; Spacey is convincing as the brash corporate power-house and is instantly detestable within the first quarter of an hour (but he is essentially revisiting a role he played in Fred Claus and A Time To Kill), but the real revelations for me are Farrell and Anniston; the Irishman is almost unrecognisable as a Kimono wearing, drug taking, Ninja worshipping nutcase (complete with pot-belly and combover) and moves into an area that he’s not really familiar with, though even his performance cannot match that of Anniston; which is as much refreshing as it is surprising.
It’s been a well-known secret that since her Friends career came to an end, Jennifer Anniston has been in a series of films that are so similar the only differences are the identity of the lead actor alongside her. Horrible Bosses however may have rejuvenated Anniston’s career as an actress; as we see the former Rachel Green play her character perfectly, uttering lines and phrases that would make an adult film star proud.
The main cast are extremely strong, but the film also offers a stellar supporting cast which includes Jamie Foxx (Ray) Julie Bowen (Modern Families), Lindsay Sloane (The Other Guys) and Ioan Gruffudd (Fantastic Four); in what must be the most bizarre role the Welshman has ever taken.
The story of the film is enjoyable enough (with one or two twists that the audience won’t see coming), and the film is quick to address some of the more immediate plot holes; such as why the main characters don’t look for work elsewhere in order to escape their employer nightmares (addressed in a critical scene where an old school friend of Nick, Kurt and Dale’s turns up at their local bar, seemingly looking to brag about his successful career, before it’s revealed he’s lost his job and due to the economic crisis can’t find work, leading the three protagonists to decide they have no choice but to stay in their current roles and plot against their bosses).
The film is also not short of laugh-out-loud moments (mostly provided by Day and Anniston), and the humour is spread out across the 90 minutes; meaning you won’t feel as if the film is waning and be clamouring for the credits to role. The one problem with the film is that the plot and humour don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand (with the humour mostly taking precedent and the plot taking a back seat), but barring this, the film delivers in the comedy department; it will keep you entertained for the duration, and the strong cast ensure that this summer comedy will probably be the first Jennifer Anniston flick you will be proud to say you enjoyed.
