Date Night

Phil (Carell) and Claire (Fey) are a couple stuck in a rut. Everything in their lives has become routine. In attempt to inject some romance back into their marriage, Phil takes Claire to a flashy Manhattan restaurant, where they are unable to secure a reservation. Throwing caution to the wind, Phil decides they should pose as the Tripplehorns, a couple who have failed to show up. Little do they realise that even this seemingly innocuous act of deception will have its consequences. The Tripplehorns are in trouble with the mafia, and Phil and Claire are accosted by two gang members during the meal and accused of stealing a mob boss's car. Soon a life of routine isn’t looking so bad after all...

Date Night represents the welcome big screen union of the king and queen of American TV comedy, Steve Carell (The Office) and Tina Fey (30 Rock). They have an easy chemistry together on screen and, despite their status as hugely successful Hollywood stars, their dull on-screen marriage is hilariously convincing. What really works about Date Night is that Fey and Carell are perfectly believable as the over-worked, under-sexed, bored married couple who just want to have a little fun. The film successfully mines the comedic possibilities of its high concept, leading Phil and Claire from one hilarious mob-related scrape to the next. Special mention must be reserved for Mark Wahlberg, whose cameo as a security expert gets the film's biggest laughs. Date Night is really an old-fashioned screwball comedy with a few more risque jokes than might have been allowed in the 1930s, with the kinds of charming performances we've come to expect from Carell and Fey. Funny, silly and warm-hearted, Date Night might just be the perfect... date night.

Greg Frame