By Andrew Ayala
“Game Night” is a very fun and interesting comical murder-mystery where a game night gone wrong, actually goes right.
The main couple Max and Annie, played by Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams, are very competitive and take board games and trivia to the next level. Life seems to be well for them until they begin having trouble with fertility.
The issues seems to be with Max after visits to the doctor insist that his stress and insecurities are causing them to not be able to have a child. A main stress factor for him seems to be his older brother Brooks, played by (Kyle Chandler), since everyone sees Max as inferior to him.
The movie begins with a very heartfelt love story of two game competitors who eventually take the next steps to forming a life and family with one another. As time passes and they get more situated, moviegoers are introduced to their typical routine of hosting a game night at their home for friends. As they prepare for the game night viewers meet a very creepy yet interesting character named Gary played by Jesse Plemons, who is a cop and also the ex-husband of one of their good friends. That same night Brooks shows up and proposes a game night to the others at his house. The couples are all for it and end up meeting up at his mansion where he explains the rules for the game that night.
The way the characters are set up is entertaining because all couples are different and have the same characteristics as real couples off the big screen. There isn’t many awkward moments between the actors and the flow of the movie seems to be consistent all the way through. From the jokes they say to the things they do, the comedic approach fueled by sarcasm seemed to work for them.
Soon enough, a group of robbers break in and kidnap Brooks, but the group is stuck on the idea it is part of the game. Once the real hosts of the game enter and explain the situation, all couples set off in a race to find Brooks and secure the victory. After that the story lines split and moviegoers get a feel of what every couple is going through, they all separate to try and win the game in their own way. Many plot twists are just pieces of the puzzle that make this movie interesting and keep the moviegoer wanting to know what will happen next.
The cinematography is very interesting because there are transition scenes that make everything in the real world look like game pieces. The camera seems to have a very interesting angle and visual effects make even cars and houses look like monopoly pieces. The dialogue was funny, if the references or jokes were understood and the acting wasn’t boring or unamusing.
There are certain moments where the movie seems to die out, but then there are scenes, such as the return of Gary, which do the film justice and give us unexpected twists and turns that are comically satisfying. There are a few parts to the film that could not be used, but nonetheless all of the minor and major scenes add up to give a fun and an interesting game night movie experience.
This movie is rated R for language, sexual references and some violence.