DVD Review – Horrible Bosses 2
3 min read
The word sequel normally sends shivers down my spine, because for the most part they are often terrible and should never be done, save for some instances (here’s looking at you Shrek 2). But thank the comedic heavens above because Horrible Bosses 2, the follow up to the 2011 smash hit, is everything you want and more in an ensemble comedy. All the gang you love, and hate, are back for more laughs and more sexual innuendos than is probably appropriate. Luckily this isn’t a movie that relies on the socially accepted norms, creating precarious situations with hilarious results.
Moronic trio Nick (Jason Bateman), Kurt (Jason Sudeikis) and Dale (Charlie Day) return to the screen, this time bringing with them a fantastic and innovative idea, the ‘Shower Buddy’ that’s going to make them a tonne of money. But when dastardly father/son duo and conglomerate powerhouses Bert (Christoph Waltz) and Rex Hansen (Chris Pine) steal the idea and the future money its bound to make, our guys decide that a kidnapping is needed to get back what is rightfully theirs. Cue a helpful hand from Dean ‘MF’ Jones (Jamie Foxx), some stolen equipment from femme fatale Dr Julia Harris (Jennifer Aniston), sage advice from the incarcerated Dave Harken (Kevin Spacey) and a willing participant in Rex, and what you get is a crime caper that the Three Stooges themselves couldn’t pull off if they tried. Obviously anything that could possibly go wrong does, and our luckless guys are left to outwit and outsmart an enemy crazier than they’ve ever encountered before.
For the most part, the cast thrive in their respective roles as exaggerated versions of people that seemingly (and unfortunately) exist in this world. The three leads are all great here, but I had more appreciation for Batemans rendition of the dry, sardonic Nick more so than the dimwittedness of Kurt and Dale. Sometimes the sheer idiocracy of the two was downright annoying, and staled some jokes that would’ve been funnier had they not been tainted by goofball antics. Aniston too is brilliant as the ‘reformed’ sex addict Julia, and is not only a welcome change of character for the actress, but was also a much needed, refreshing addition to the plot, for her performance is more on point than some of her fellow cast members.
Time and time again it is said that the only thing a comedy needs to be successful, is to be funny. The film manages to perfect the art of timing, which can be such a fickle mistress, translating on screen for some predictable and some unexpected comedic moments. Clearly Bateman, Sudeikis and Day are comfortable and familiar with each other enough that the rapport between them makes for some hilarious one-liners. Whether these were scripted or improvised remains to be seen, but rest assured the comedy for the most part is a home run, which is all you can really ask of a film whose sole purpose is to make its audience laugh.
Inappropriately raunchy and unapologetically hilarious, Horrible Bosses 2 is a sure fire hit with the masses.. And yes, even craptastic boring stinkers can make millions, but rest assured this film is actually funny and definitely worth a look, especially if you were a fan of the first instalment.
[youtube id=”KUftYaEcH6c” width=”620″ height=”360″]
