The Best and Worst of Tyler Labine

“The Best and Worst of” series chronicles the career highlights and lowlights of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week, I take a look at the filmography of “Escape Room” star Tyler Labine.

Films starring Tyler Labine that I've seen:
My Boss's Daughter
Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
A Good Old Fashioned Orgy 
Tucker and Dale vs. Evil
Monsters University 
The Boss
Super Troopers 2

Best Performance: Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008)
While he was arguably the MVP of A Good Old Fashioned Orgy and Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, Labine's significantly smaller role in Zack and Miri Make a Porno is the hardest he's ever made me laugh. His memorable, highly quotable appearance as a drunken Pittsburgh Steelers fan who unintentionally stumbles onto the set of (and is subsequently unfazed by) a porn shoot at a coffee shop is quite possibly the funniest scene in the entire movie.    

Worst Performance: Super Troopers 2 (2018)
Noted scene-stealer Labine went against his calling card by failing to stand out from the rest of the over-the-top goofball Canadian Mountie characters that are frequently at odds with their over-the-top goofball counterparts from Vermont in this largely amusing sequel to the 2002 cult classic.

Best Film: Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008)
Early Kevin Smith was pretty much the greatest. His ability to consistently make situational comedies about average human beings stuck in mundane jobs that were simultaneously super vulgar and touching instantly made him one of my favorite directors once I discovered his movies as a teenager. Zack and Miri Make a Porno ended up being the final chapter of his magical prime era. Every time he puts out something a painfully unwatchable high concept poopfest like Tusk or Yoga Hosers, I yearn for the simpler days when he was making stupid yet hilarious sex jokes and telling sweet love stories for 90 minutes like he did here.

Worst Film: The Boss (2016)
Despite boasting a pair of talented leads (Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Bell) that have a track record of being the primary highlight of most projects they appear in, The Boss ended up being a dud. Thanks to its inexplicably low rate of successful jokes, there was never a time while I was watching this where I felt like the people in front of the camera were firing on all cylinders.  

Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “Replicas” star John Ortiz.