Horrible Bosses

Like the twisted younger, trashier sibling of Hitchcock’s classic Strangers on a Train, this rollicking R-rated comedy trades in chills for laughs, as three hapless employees attempt to bump-off one another’s unbearable bosses in hilarious fashion.

Nick (Bateman), Kurt (Sudeikis) and Dale (Day) are the long suffering friends whose working lives are made miserable by the titular ‘horrible bosses’. Nick’s boss (Kevin Spacey) is a psychotic tyrant with a stoic stare; Kurt’s tormentor (Colin Farrell) is a balding slime-ball of a man with a penchant for martial arts; whilst Dale is continually dodging the advances of his sex-crazed dentist employer (Jennifer Aniston). At the end of their tether, and with quitting being out of the question for various reasons, the trio form an unlikely band of killers with the intention of finally disposing of their nightmarish managers, with obviously comical consequences.

Packed with a stellar ensemble cast, the unfaltering performances of each of its six leads are what position this comedy alongside the best. Spacey is perfect is in his role as the dead-eyed, corporate bully, and Aniston delivers one of her best performances in years to prove that, when outside the dreary rom-coms, she’s still an actress with impeccable comic timing. Jamie Foxx additionally cameos and doesn’t disappoint as the unlikely killers’ “murder consultant”.

Horrible Bosses rivals Bridesmaids when it comes to out-and-out laughs, featuring its fair share of gross-out moments and slapstick tomfoolery. Coupled with this is a knowing and morbid sense of humour that makes no bones about the film’s eccentric premise. For a light-hearted take on darker material, look no further.

Luke Woellhaf