Splashing together dashes of witty repartee with magnetic allure and touches of middling excitement, "Date Night" threw me in two conflicting, although indirectly similar, directions. In one way, it gratified, albeit in creaky form, my inner lust for consistently comical entertainment, providing give-and-take laughter--and, metaphorically speaking, it deems it unnecessary that I present it with a gift. By this I mean that "Date Night" is neither laborious wear-and-tear nor feeble fluff, but, instead, a relaxing, enjoyable picture. Of course, the film is indebted, no doubt, to Steve Carell and Tina Fey who find humour in the most crammed spaces and sarcastic bliss in, well, everything. Here they play, with illustrious chemistry, an instantly likeable married duo, Phil and Claire Foster. In their years of togetherness, the Fosters have become banalities, are plagued by their children, are workaholics and have succumbed to roommate syndrome--definition: a boring couple. To combat such a crisis, Phil pitches an irregular "date night" to his wife, who accepts his proposal with much glee; however, when things fail to work out, Phil, desperate for spontaneous salvation, commits identity theft to salvage the wreckage. But, there is a twist: in "North by Northwestian" fashion, the stolen names are entwined in a dangerous, webbed scandal, which, by case of mistaken identity, threatens the Foster's brisk night out.
Digressing to the negatives, "Date Night" is the formation of recycled pleasantries from association with ancient giants. I do not proclaim that it is buttery, tired clichés: it is far from still--it is snappy, quick-witted and goodhearted; ordinary, but, also, different by the merits of its leads, Carell and Fey. That said, it deviates from the said promises when seen from a distance, visa vie the post-viewing. It is, alas, like drinking a hot cup of coffee--warm and reviving--but once it is slurped up, it leaves a cold, empty feeling. Admittedly though, I enjoyed it for what it was--a splendid caper--and, despite its after effects, the coffee was good while it lasted.
3.5 out of 5 Popcorns
