The Night Before

Dir: Jonathan Levine

2015

***

The Night Before stars Seth Rogan, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Anthony Mackie and is directed by Jonathan Levine, so it is fair to say that if you're familiar with these people's work you will know exactly what to expect. The three friends spend each Christmas Eve together because 'family' and they have gotten up to all sorts of madness over the years. After one becomes famous and one has impending fatherhood, the three decide that this year will be their last. Fame and fatherhood are explored as is a love story and general coming of age. It actually all gets in the way somewhat because the film is really sold as an adventure-fuelled evening where anything can and will happen. As it is, lots of sensible things happen and overall plot (and its various sub-plots) trundle on and on and on. Seth Rogan's character finally takes some drugs about half way through the movie and by the time you question the length of this particular evening, you have also probably given up caring much about the characters and what happens to them. This 'comedy' cries out of something funny to happen for the majority of the run time. It's not without its moments but most of them are predictable, obvious or were shown in the trailer. Seth Rogan on drugs, who would have thought it. There are some nice little moments along the way and some appreciated cameos but overall it is the unquestioned fantasy element of the film that really makes it a success. Michael Shannon plays a drug dealer with insight early on in the movie and nothing more is directed at him. He them pops up again and it soon becomes apparent that his is more than just an unusual cameo. The/his conclusion made the film for me, or at least, made up for all the things I didn't like about the film until that point. It's never unlikable, it just tries to do far too much in one sitting. It needed to be simplified and maybe made just that little bit sillier. There is a great part whereby a drugged up Rogan sits within a Church's nativity scene and talks to Jesus as if he were just a guy on the street. I guess too much of that kind of thing would have only worked for so long but the rest of the film is full of schmaltz and far too much self-analysis. It was if the film was saying 'hey everyone, we're a fun, non-serious Christmas film' and then got all serious because it remembered it had to, as if it were a Christmas film rule or something. To be washed down with plenty of eggnog for complete enjoyment.