Due Date
Directed by Todd Phillips
Staring : Robert Downey Jr. Zach Galifianakis, Michelle Monaghan
My Rating: 2/5
Due Date brings two very popular actors together for what could have been a very popular and funny movie. The film's major flaw is the notion that anything Galifianakis says will be funny. Quite a few times there are things he says which are funny. But the many times he isn't left me feeling very uncomfortable. It's really awkward when a bad joke fails and the scene cuts.
Due Date follows Peter Highman (Downey) who through a series of events finds himself stuck with human tornado Ethan Trembley (Galifianakis) while trying to get home to his wife (Monaghan) before she gives birth.
Watching the film I couldn't help but be reminded of the classic 80s film "Planes, Trains, And Automobiles". The plots are almost exactly the same as are the characters. The problem with Due Date is the Galifianakis character and the situations both characters find themselves in (I'm thinking of one in particular). Planes, Trains was great because as annoying as the John Candy character was you still felt bad for him in a way. I can't even comprehend why the writers of this film thought it was a good idea to try to bring heartfelt and sympathetic moments to the movie. Having the Galifianakis character start jerking off in front of the Downey Jr. character, not to mention some of the things he says does not make him sympathetic.
The movie does have some laughs. Galifianakis has some good lines and scenes. But The Hangover had other comedic and offbeat characters with him. This movie is Galifianakis overload. Downey is one of my favorite actors and he plays a great straight man. One of the best scenes in the film involves Downey looking after a drug dealers kids.
The film just fails on so many levels. Lots of jokes fall dead on the floor and the scenes of sympathy make the film uncomfortable and weird. Its obvs to the plot that by the end the two characters will become friends but the way it comes about in Due Date is just like the snap of a finger. Yes I did laugh a few times. Yet all Due Date achieved was making me want to watch Planes Trains and Automobiles again.
