The Night Before (2015)

Directed by: Jonathan Levine

Written by: Jonathan Levine, Kyle Hunter, Ariel Shaffir, & Evan Goldberg

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, & Anthony Mackie





This film was hard to pin point.  Some of the parts were 4 popcorns, some were 2, so I'll go with the middle, 3 popcorns.

Here's why:

The whole film was a complete change in tone.  As the characters changed, the tone changed too.  It was weird.  The beginning was comedic filled with drugs, partying, friends, etc, a typical Rogen film.  But as it went on, it began to get more moralistic.  It wasn't as funny and it was more about the meaning of friends and family, Christmas, you know?  Which I liked, but at the same time didn't like.

The Night Before is about three best friends.  Gordon-Levitt plays Ethan who unfortunately has nothing going on in his life.  As for his friends, Isaac (Rogen) is starting a family, and Chris (Mackie) is starting his NFL career.  Because of their new found lives, they make a deal to have their last Christmas tradition.  Unfortunately things do not go as planned.

While I was watching this, I was mostly trying to find the references that were occurring in the film, such as Home Alone, A Christmas Carol, and more, so I didn't pay attention to the technical elements.

It's a stupid funny kind of sweet movie that is typical for Rogen.  Plus James Franco is in it.  Doesn't that say it all?  There's not much else to say other than the film is weird, but I liked it.

3 popcorns.