PLAYDATE (2025)

Directed By: Luke Greenfield

Written By: Neil Goldman 

Cinematography: Darren Tiernan

Editor: Joe Mitacek 

Cast: Kevin James, Alan Ritchinson, Sarah Chalke, Isla Fisher, Alan Tudyk, Paul Walter Hauser, Stephen Root, Banks Pierce, Benjamin Pajak 

Brian has just been fired from his job. He becomes a stay-at-home dad. He accepts a playdate invitation from another stay-at-home dad who turns out to be a loose cannon.

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This film is silly and pretty much knows it’s audience wish I could be more of a family film as it seems like it would play more, but it does have its fair share of violence, bad language, and adult juvenile humor. Though strangely it seems like its perfect audience would be teenagers and adults who just like juvenile humor.

It’s an action comedy that once it gets down to the plot line is silly, but I found this from to be quite a guilty pleasure as I found it constantly hilarious throughout no matter how stupid it might seem at times 

What helps is that a lot of the supporting characters are so ridiculous and funny. You wish they had longer screen time or would come back into the film after their scenes are done. Like Isla Fisher’s character you wish as always that there was more of her throughout.

Well, Kevin James Plays with his typical type of humor lead character. It does appear that he’s having fun and is affable whereas Alan Richardson who takes more of the action sequences is perfectly cast as he reminds one of Sean William Scott when he first came out where it seemed like everything he did even his facial expressions Are humorous only Alan Richardson looks like a more muscular version, but has that same comedic and silly spirit that Sean William Scott has and some rules and makes it all his own so that it might remind some people who watched the show blue Mountain state what Richardson can do specially with an inspired committed character.

This is a film made up of humorous moments that all going into the story, though the moments are more valuable ultimately than the story this is also more of a male bonding film so that fathers and sons watching it together can definitely feel something special watching this film as there are female characters, but they are more put into the background.

This film is a harmless time waster where if the trailer or poster intrigues you this is definitely your type of movie, but if not, this isn’t going to necessarily win you over unless you’re a fan of the lead actors 

It feels on the same level as Hulu yearly John Cena, buddy action comedies only this time playing on Amazon prime so they’re getting their own version 

Grade: C

STRAYS (2023)

Directed By: Josh Greenbaum

Written By: Dan Perrault 

Cinematography: Tim Orr

Editor: Greg Hayden, Sabrina Plisco and David Rennie 

Cast: Will Forte, Brett Gelman and Voices By: Jamie Foxx, Will Ferrell, Randall Park, Isla Fisher, Sofia Vergara, Rob Riggle, Josh Gad, Greta Lee 

An abandoned dog teams up with other strays to get revenge on his former owner.


Like the similarly themed movie GOOD BOYS, which has foul-mouthed kids at its center as the source of its comedy, but at least that film had a plausible story behind its outrageousness. Here we deal with foul-mouthed animals, mostly dogs who talk. 

This film is silly and just seems like a joke writer’s haven. As most of the jokes seem to revolve around poop, penis’ and foul language.

So that it seems like a film made for 13-year-olds only it is marked for adults. Who might enjoy this after a few too many, Which is similar to GOOD BOYS. 

As I wish I could say this was a fully entertaining hit that doesn’t seem to happen until the second half of the film. 

Don’t get me wrong the film does have its moments, but they are so far and few are in between. This seemed like it could have worked more as a skit or short film than necessarily a 90-minute feature film. That seemed to be made for pet lovers and since dog movies seem to do so well at the box office 

While it’s true that major comedy stars are behind the voices. It truly only adds to the film for name recognition rather than making the film any better or more entertaining. It might just add a bit of recognizability. 

The film is made to reach a certain demographic and is built more than anything off of a gimmick

Grade: D+

KEEPING UP WITH THE JONSES (2016)

KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES

Directed By: Greg Mottola
Written By: Michael Lasieur
Cinematography: Andrew Dunn
Editor: David Rennie 

Cast: Zach Galifianakis, Jon Hamm, Isla Fisher, Gal Gadot, Patton Oswalt, Ming Zhao, Matt Walsh, Kevin Dunn, Bobby Lee, Ari Shaffir 


A suburban couple becomes embroiled in an international espionage plot when they discover that their seemingly perfect new neighbors are government spies.

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THE BROTHERS GRIMSBY (2016)

BrothersGrimsby_review_031116_2

Directed By: Louis Lettier
Written By: Sacha Baron Cohen, Phil Johnston & Peter Baynham
Story By: Sacha Baron Cohen & Phil Johsnston
Cinematography By: Oliver Wood
Editor: Jonathan Amos, Evan Henke, Debra Neil-Fisher & James Thomas 


Cast: Sacha Baron Cohen, Mark Strong, Penelope Cruz, Isla Fisher, Rebel Wilson, Tasmin Egerton, Scott Adkins, David Harewood, Annabelle Wallis, Gabourey Sidibe, Barkhad Abdi 

MI6’s top assassin has a brother. Unfortunately for him, he’s a football hooligan from the town of Grimsby. Nobby has everything a man from the poor English fishing town of Grimsby could want – 9 children and the most attractive girlfriend in northern England. There’s only one thing missing in his life: his little brother, Sebastian. After they were adopted by different families as children, Nobby spent 28 years searching for him. Upon hearing of his location, Nobby sets off to reunite with his brother, unaware that not only is his brother an MI6 agent, but he’s just uncovered a plot that puts the world in danger. On the run and wrongfully accused, Sebastian realizes that if he is going to save the world, he will need the help of its biggest idiot.

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