Todd Philips is one of the best comedy directors around right now. He has built up a pretty impressive body of work including Road Trip,Old School and The Hangover. Philips teams up with The Hangover's Zack Galifinakis for another memorable entry to his resume with Due Date.
Due Date centers around Los Angeles architect Peter Highman (Robert Downey Jr.), who is about to board a flight from Atlanta back to L.A. for the birth of his child, when a chance encounter with aspiring actor Ethan Tremblay (Galifinakis), throws him into a whirlwind situation. Both men get thrown off the plane after a bomb-scare are thenceforth placed on the no-fly list. Peter has no idea what to do, with his wallet and bags still on the plane. Ethan, fortunately (or unfortunately,depending on how you look at it), is able to rent a car and Peter ends up tagging along.
What follows is a great road trip comedy. The film's main strength, like most of Philips' work, is the absurd situations the characters get into. There are plenty of chaotic, hysterical situations in the film and watching them unfold is a pleasure. Galifinakis,as usual, steals the show. He is one of the great comedic talents of our time: his timing is impeccable, and he has the type of character that he normally plays down to a science. Downey, of course, is a great straight-man. Unlike his scene-stealing turn in Tropic Thunder, Downey takes a different comedic approach in this one, but it works just as well. Galinfinakis and Downey's pairing is quite the odd couple, but they are wonderful together. Additional bonuses are the cameos from various actors, the best of which are Danny McBride, who shines as a Western Union worker, and Juliette Lewis as a pot dealing mom.
I've said it a million times, but 2010 has been a banner year for comedy. Due Date is another brilliant entry that had me laughing throughout. It is chock full of absurd scenarios and laughs. Avoid the tepid reviews it's been getting from critics and check it out. One of the funniest films of 2010.
4.5/5 Stars
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