Date Night (2010/Fox Blu-ray)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: C     Film: C

 

 

There is no doubt that Steve Carell and Tina Fey are two of the funniest people around and their talent extends beyond their on-camera skills.  It is also true that they have fine chemistry together as expected, but it is unfortunate this chemistry is the only thing Shawn Levi’s Date Night (2010) has to offer, because this is nothing more than a bad TV movie released in theaters with cable-TV freedom-of-swearing.

 

The two play a married couple (Phil & Claire Foster) who decide to go out one night on a date to have fun and rekindle their marriage which has become to flat, but when they go to a fancy restaurant and pretend to be another couple, it turns out that couple exists and has some serious enemies.  This results in an odyssey of the Fosters dealing with hoodlums, criminals, the corrupt, violent and dangerous among other goofs.

 

Writer Josh Klausner (the third and fourth Shrek films) proves he cannot move past animated cartoons and Levy (The Night At The Museum films and several hit remakes (The Pink Panther, Cheaper By The Dozen) cannot move past a bad 1980s commercial comedy film style long dead.  Even supporting cast members Mark Wahlberg, Kristen Wiig, Taraji P. Henson, William Fichtner, Mark Ruffalo, James Franco, Mila Kunis and Ray Liotta cannot save this sad wreck that is only one step above a bad package deal.  This is one date to cancel.

 

The 1080p 2.35 X 1 AVC @ 23 MBPS digital High Definition image looks poor throughout, shot with a Panavision Genesis HD camera, but even with a skilled Director of Photography like Dean Semler (Apocalypto, Carell’s Get Smart remake), this just looks cheap and cut rate, almost as bad as MacGruber.  Noise is all over the place, definition weak and color limited.  You do get a few good shots, but they are very few.  The DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) lossless 5.1 mix is also weak for this dialogue and would-be-joke-based film.  The combination is trying and to think the DVD could be worse.

 

Extras include Digital Copy for PC and PC portable devices, BD Live interactive capacities, Gag Reel, Public Service Announcements, Camera Tests for the leads, three featurettes on directing this, Director Levi audio commentary on the shorter version and a section of Deleted, Alternate and Extended Scenes which could not have saved this if they were kept in.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo