Due Date

“It’s all uphill from here.”

+++Head shots, here+++

Swift shot: Planes?  Check.  Trains?  Sorta (one shot), so Check.  Automobiles?  Plenty of ’em.  But while this may seem like a typical road-trip flick, it pits two of the most sought after actors in Hollyweird today.  They both play off of each other very well, and the dramatic scenes are genuine.  Oh, sure, you could dissect this film shot by shot and over analyze it with a minutia of detailed, nuanced clap-trap psycho-babble bullshit, but you should just sit your ass down and laugh!  Because “The Hangover” was incredible, (read ck’s review here) it set the bar for Iron-Man and the Ri-tard’s first film higher than John Belushi’s epic blowout final curtain-call.  If this one doesn’t make you near piss yourself, let me know here: swift@iratefilms.com, cuz I am adding you to my list of arrogant, pompous a-holes.

In homage to ck being no more, allow me to use his format for this review.

The Storyline

Peter Highman (yes, they went there) played by Robert Downey Jr. is heading home to L.A. from a business meeting in Atlanta.  About to be a father, he is leaving nothing to chance to get home.  Peter is one of those execs who plans for everything, but no plan can survive Ethan Tremblay (Zach Galifianakis) and his walking Pig Pen chaos cloud, with his coiffed perm, acid washed, over-tight jeans (complete with a brush in the back pocket) and special friend, Sonny.

Immediately, Highman detests and attempts to avoid the walking freak show, but within minutes of crossing his path, Highman is kicked off a plane and is on the no-fly list.  Now, desperate to get home, and with no money (because the airline sent his luggage without him) he turns to the only person that seems able to help.  Offering to share a ride to Hollywood, Tremblay swoops in with a Subaru Impreza.

The story takes the characters on an Odessy to get to L.A. in time for the due date, as Highman’s wife, Sarah (Michelle Monaghan) is scheduled to have a c-section.  I won’t go into great detail here about all the crazy shit that happens to them, but suffice it to say, poor choices by Tremblay, and his little dog too, keep the journey entertaining from beginning to end.

The Cast

The casting is everything in this film, if the leads push too hard, it is painful, but the give and take of these superb thespians is fascinating to watch.  Plus, they take inside jabs at their profession throughout – which I loved.  No one needs a special introduction to Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis, they are both masters of their craft with decades of experience between them.  Their two characters, Peter and Ethan are complete opposites, Peter is a by-the-book architect who deals in fact and has little time for make-believe.  While Ethan Chase . . . I mean Tremblay, literally takes life one hit at a time – a pot induced decision maker at every stop, he has two simple goals, get to Hollywood, become famous and lay his father’s ashes to rest.

Sanity enters the picture when Peter reaches out to his old college buddy, Darryl (Jamie Foxx) to save him from Ethan and help him get to L.A. in time.  Foxx does an admirable job in his (Just Passing Through) JPT role in the film, and Monaghan is really an after-thought.  This is a dick flick though, so her character’s absence should serve as no surprise.  The real female surprise is Juliette Lewis, who is back to form with Downey Jr. as a pot dealing, trashy mom of two stuffed in a two bedroom shack in Birmingham, Alabama.

The Good, Bad, and Indifferent

What makes this film so fantastic is the chemistry of Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis and the comedic timing and push and shove throughout.  As roles change from the serious to the buffoon and the vice-versa, we really get a treat watching their a-games on the screen.  There are brilliantly delivered lines which will, no doubt, be quoted ad nauseum by college students and movie geeks like me, probably for decades.  There are shocking things that happen throughout, and the previews don’t give away all the laughs – thank God.

Why six stars?  Because I want to watch this film six times, haven’t felt like that since I saw Kick Ass – which got six stars – plus, because it was so damned funny and enjoyable, it is worth every Penny!

The Bottom Line

Simple plots often make for the best films when the actors are perfect together, Due Date embodies this truth – go see it!!!