Movie Review: Game Over, Man!

If you weren't a fan of Workaholics- the Comedy Central series that ran from April 2011 until March 2017 that helped launch the careers of Adam DeVine, Anders Holm and Blake Anderson or aren't down with crude, largely stupid humor, don't bother with Game Over, Man!. This Netflix production was made with a VERY particular audience in mind and if you aren't part of it, you'll likely be repulsed to the point where you feel compelled to cleanse your palate with an impromptu screening of some Paul Thomas Anderson film as soon as the credits roll. 

Now for the segment of the population that enjoyed this trio's television show and/or are fans of the gleefully dumb, self-aware action movies that frequented theaters from the mid 80's through late 90's, Game Over, Man! should prove to be a satisfying watch. DeVine, Holm, Anderson and longtime collaborator Kyle Newacheck have crafted a crazy, loving and very funny homage to the cult cinema they grew up on. Every detail from the plot centered around a group of maids (DeVine, Holm, Anderson) that are forced to foil the sinister plans of a group of terrorists (Neal McDonough, Rhona Mitra, Sam Richardson, several others) that are holding an heir to Tunisian royalty (The Mindy Project's Utkarsh Ambudkar) hostage in the hotel where they work to the bursts of over-the-top cartoonish violence that are scattered throughout is completely faithful to the dozens of "one man army" movies (Die Hard, Under Siege, Sudden Death) that were released during that period. As someone who worships this largely bygone era of action films, I had a blast watching a group of people that possess a clear understanding of the genre's inner-workings pay loving tribute to the beautifully excessive absurdity that made the aforementioned movies so special.

In addition to their admirable behind-the-scenes work, DeVine, Holm and Anderson also gracefully drive the absurdity on-screen. Some time apart to pursue other projects hasn't done any damage to the manic rapport that made Workaholics an absurdist stoner comedy gold mine as the longtime partners tackle this material with the perfect amount of fearlessness and recklessness. Their commitment to every insult, gross sight gag and wild plot development gives this over-the-top farce the beating heart it needed to properly function. While they definitely don't yield the same amount of laugh-out-loud jokes, you could make a pretty strong argument that these guys are The Lonely Island of their generation.

I'd like to give DeVine, Holm and Anderson a round of applause for making a film that is true to their brand as Game Over, Man!. Absolutely none of their comedic zest got lost in translation as they went from the relatively restricted world of basic cable television to the cruel, no-holds-barred jungle that is feature-length cinema. Even as they continue to secure work elsewhere, I hope this braintrust will reconvene to put out silly, amusing shit that's in a similar vein as this every few years or so.  

Grade: B