Game Night (2018)

I love dark humor. It always has a way of sticking out way more than conventional humor because it grabs me with its shock value, and when it’s done well, it can make me laugh harder and longer than just about anything else.

Game Night thrives on this kind of comedy, which is part of what makes it as good as it is. I honestly was not expecting much of this movie when I saw the marketing for it, but it actually is a really solid film. It utilizes its premise very well, it twists its plot around in the right ways, and it also has some solid comedy that often takes a darker turn, further bolstered by great comedic performances.

The premise of a friendly game night is one that I’m guessing most can relate to, and its familiarity makes Game Night so easy to latch onto. For one, it is not a premise that Hollywood has touched before, so that helps it tons; however, it also pokes a lot of fun at itself and furthermore the concept of groups of couples hanging out together. If it hadn’t done that and tried to be more serious about itself, then the film would not have worked nearly as well, so I am glad that it doesn’t take itself too seriously in that respect.

The plot of Game Night also twists itself around a lot. It verges on messy at times, but it keeps every couple’s respective adventures separate and distinct in their feel. These split threads allow us to experience each couple more directly, which definitely made them feel more real and more fleshed-out (one of the things I was most worried about with the film). Towards the end – like, in the last ten minutes – Game Night does throw a few plot twists that land well while watching for the first time, but in retrospect they feel a little too over the top when piled on top of each other. The good thing about these twists, though, is that they are set up well enough to make sense in the course of the film, which is something I honestly would not have expected with this type of movie.

The comedy in Game Night kept me laughing throughout. Besides the fun it pokes at its premise, it makes light of a lot of normally very serious situations the characters find themselves in. A prime example: a scene where Rachel McAdams’s character takes a few other characters hostage and tells them to get on the ground. Usually this kind of scene would focus on the triumph of her character, but instead she tells them to get on the ground in a yoga position and starts teaching it to them. It is absolutely hilarious and makes what would be about ten seconds in most films a really funny minute or two. There’s so many scenes like this that just take normal movie events – especially the ones that would be more serious – and make them ridiculous and hilarious.

I was surprised by Game Night. It wasn’t the bland comedy I expected at all; it did some unique things with its premise, and it made me laugh a lot at its dark humor. While the ridiculous plot twists towards the end do make the film’s climax a little too ridiculous (and for Game Night that really is saying something), this is still a good time at the movies.

My recommendation: See it.

My grade: 77/100