Game Night *** (2018, Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams, Kyle Chandler, Jesse Plemons, Sharon Horgan, Billy Magnussen) – Movie Review

Atoning for their horrible 2105 effort Vacation, John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein are joint directors of the surprisingly fun and funny crime black comedy Game Night, in which a group of friends who meet for game nights have to solve a real murder mystery sparked by the arrival of the hero Max (Jason Bateman)’s highly competitive brother Brooks (Kyle Chandler).

Mark Perez, a former inaugural member of the Disney Writer’s Programme, must be the main hero here. It’s a good, quirky, grown-up script that he’s written, a little bit naughty but definitely nice, a little bit silly, but even a little bit sophisticated, a tiny bit maybe. It keeps going brightly and nicely and it never loses its dynamism.

Bateman and Rachel McAdams form a sweet double act as the married couple at the centre of the storm, Jesse Plemons is splendidly creepy as their cop next-door neighbour, and Sharon Horgan and Billy Magnussen are amusing too as an ill-assorted pair of game players. Lamorne Morris and Kylie Bunbury are the other buddy game players, Kevin and Michelle, only slightly less amusing because they have slightly less amusing stuff to do. The hit turn is Bateman though, who, in particular, has such a relaxed way with crazy comedy, keeping charming and even credible (well almost) throughout.

Game Night is a success – and there is plenty of room for a sequel.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Movie Review

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