Horrible Bosses Review
Wouldn’t it be easier if our bosses weren’t around? That’s the premise behind Horrible Bosses, and it’s one a concerning number of viewers would fantasise about on a daily basis.
Nick, Kurt and Dale spend their nights drinking in bars, complaining about their nasty bosses who are crippling their career aspirations and ruining their lives. Nick (Jason Bateman) grinds out a 12 hour day for a promotion that the vilest of the three bosses (Kevin Spacey) has no intention of giving him. Kurt (Jason Sudeikis) loves his boss, but that quickly changes when he is replaced by his careless, cokehead son (Colin Farrell).
Meanwhile Dale (Charlie Day), a dentistry assistant, is harassed on a daily basis by his sex-crazed and generally half-naked boss, played by Jennifer Aniston. His really doesn’t sound all that bad, until the blackmailing begins, putting Dale’s engagement at risk. All he wants from life is to be a good husband, but nobody will pay you for that.
Simply quitting isn’t an option for an abundance of inconvenient reasons, leading the three hapless lads to devise a plan to kill each of their bosses under the tutelage of “Motherf***er” Jones (Jamie Foxx). Unfortunately for them, they aren’t what you would call natural born killers.
The plot is farfetched and believability has been sacrificed in the name of humour, which puts it up there as one of the funniest films since The Hangover. It’s the obvious comparison, but that’s no surprise, as it follows the same formula: three ordinary guys – the smart one, the pretty boy and the wild card – tearing up a city and losing control of the situation with plenty of manly banter and questionable reasoning.
The cast is fantastic and make the movie, regardless of its wayward plot. Day and Sudeikis provide the laughs, which keep getting stronger as the film progresses and don’t even begin slow down, while Bateman straightens things up with a voice of reason.
Spacey was born to play a sadistic boss that takes joy in others’ pain in a standout supporting role.
Farrell sports an impressive comb-over worthy of any coke addict, and Aniston is the slutty dentist we secretly hope exists – so long as the fake tan doesn’t rub off. While she doesn’t have a massive role, there’s no questioning her influence. She proves that she still has it, at 42, and shakes the “good girl” image that has lingered with her for an eternity.
It’s funny, it’s dirty and it puts dangerous thoughts into your head. While not as realistic or grounded in a plausible world as it might have you believe, it doesn’t need to be. With a fantastic cast, Horrible Bosses is hilarious and one of the best comedies this year.
By Ben Salter
Director Seth Gordon
Starring Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, Charlie Day, Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston, Colin Farrell
Rating M15+
Length 97 minutes
MMGN movie reviews are rated out of 5 stars