Movie Review

Due Date

If Todd Phillips wanted to pay tribute to “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles," then “Due Date” is about as forgettable and boring a job as any. There is some scattered banter between the two leads that works but this is just another lazy Hollywood comedy, and coming from a guy who made “Old School” and “The Hangover," this is a big disappointment.

Robert Downey Jr. is the uptight straight-man to Zach Galifianakis’ unintentionally obnoxious, well-meaning pain-in-the-ass. Downey is trying to get home to L.A because his wife (Michelle Monaghan) is having a baby; Zach is an actor who credits "Two and a Half Men” as his creative inspiration. When a misunderstanding gets both thrown off a plane to L.A, the two are thrown together on a road trip where Zach drives Robert crazy and the two find some common ground. Just the material isn’t there. Phillips doesn’t so much create jokes as show us scenes like Galifianakis (and a dog) masturbating in front of Downey, smoking pot while driving, and laughing when the Downey character relays a sad story about his father (surprisingly, this movie also has more serious moments than a comedy really needs). The problem with the Galifianakis character is he always seems more mentally-unstable and unpleasant than endearing in any way. And Downey’s reactions to him are more mean and hostile than actually funny.

What sums up the movie perfectly is a scene where Galifianakis falls asleep while driving, bringing to mind a classic scene in “Planes," yet here it only ends in a bad car wreck. Juliette Lewis and Danny McBride try in small scenes but even those have no real punch-line. “Due Date” has a lot of talent behind it but laughs are scarce.

Craig's Grade: C-

A	10.9%
B	41.8%
C	31.8%
D	15.3%
F	0.3%