In that immortal classic A Charlie Brown Christmas (read my The Peanuts Movie, by the way), the title character struggles with the commercialization of the holiday season. That sentiment has only gotten more and more prevalent in today’s world of peppermint mocha lattes and stores decked their halls with decorations in October. Still, the advantage to the world’s overwhelming desire to cash in on the widespread love of all things Christmas is that there is literally something out there for all every kind of moviegoer. Just catch the next screening of The Night Before at your local theater.
Not since A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas has there been a holiday stoner comedy as much maniacal fun as this new film, which stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen and Anthony Mackie as three friends out on their annual Christmas Eve shenanigans for the last time. Life is leading them down different paths, it seems, and the time to finally grow up has sadly come. Luckily, this trio ends up with tickets to the hottest holiday bash in New York City, the Nutcracker Ball, ensuring that this send-off will a night they’ll never forget.
Hot off of their strong dramatic work in The Walk and Steve Jobs, Gordon-Levitt and Rogen, respectively, reunite with director Jonathan Levine for the second time, and their onscreen chemistry is just as strong as it was in 50/50. Of course, the two films couldn’t be further apart in regard to their tone and subject matter. Still, the camaraderie between the two is palpable and could (gasp!) one day rival Rogen’s onscreen bromance with James Franco if this keeps up. Moreover, Mackie slips effortlessly into the group as well and is thankfully given far more to do here than in his glorified cameo in this summer’s Ant-Man.
Tonally, the film very much comes across like the set-in-a-single-night romp that it is and all the mixed results that entails. The leads’ individual stories zig-zag across each other at pivotal points, with Rogen’s drug-addled freak-out regarding his character’s impending fatherhood the source of most of the laughs. It’s an interesting reversal, considering that the actor typically plays the straight man to more colorful scene-stealers like Franco and Zac Efron (in last year’s The Interview and Neighbors, respectively). Still, it’s ultimately a one-note gag that extends for nearly the entire film and may leave some moviegoers weary midway through.
Lizzy Caplan, Jillian Bell and Michael Shannon deliver memorable supporting turns as Gordon-Levitt’s recent ex, Rogen’s pregnant wife and the mysterious drug peddler the guys encounter. Bell in particular is fast becoming one of the strongest rising comediennes working today, after breaking through to the Hollywood mainstream with her uproarious role in 22 Jump Street. Meanwhile, one top-secret cameo (no spoilers here!) serves as a highlight, and a brief appearance by singer Miley Cyrus turns out to be a pleasant surprise, especially with how her scene fits into the story.
Armed with a ton of heart, The Night Before is a fine addition to the recent ilk of stoner comedies. The film embraces the subgenre’s love of absurdity and bizarre plot twists but never forgets the universal story it’s trying to tell of friends struggling to maintain close ties despite their changing lives and the inevitability of growing up. More so than most, Levine’s comedy seems tailor-made for thirty-somethings that can relate to the characters onscreen, as it is infused with an undercurrent of 1990s nostalgia. References to Home Alone, Nintendo 64’s Goldeneye and Britney Spears’ “Baby One More Time…” are sprinkled throughout, grounding the characters’ journeys in a world that audiences can instantly connect to.
This holiday fable about friendship may not be the crowning achievement for anyone involved, but it’s a fun ride that should bring the funny that its core audience expects, despite a certain amount of predictability due to the nature of the material and the gag-heavy marketing material. Grab a group of friends on the way to the theater though, as The Night Before is the kind of film best consumed with your best buds.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
The Night Before stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie, Lizzy Caplan, Jillian Bell, Mindy Kaling, Ilana Glazer and Michael Shannon. It is directed by Jonathan Levine.Follow Robert Yaniz Jr. on Twitter @CrookedTable! Click here for more Crooked Table reviews!