Date Night
Directed by Shawn Levy
Starring Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Mark Wahlberg, Jimmi Simpson, Common
Rated PG-13
Release date: April 9, 2010 )

It seems like good comedies are increasingly hard to come by these days. Why bother with decent writing and actors with skilled comedic timing when you can just make pop culture references and poop jokes? Yes, I’m looking at you Friedberg and Seltzer.

Date Night, on the other hand, will probably be remembered as the best comedy of 2010. While the film is already be called this year’s The Hangover, I’m going to just say something that will probably bring me ridicule and debate. Date Night is better than The Hangover. Obviously comedic values are very subjective, but I personally find awkward, fish-out-of-water comedy much more entertaining than drunken wackiness. Each has their place, but I think in the long run Date Night will appeal to more people as The Hangover is more of the definitive “guy movie.”

Date Night stars a powerhouse of comedic talent in Tina Fey and Steve Carell. Carell has proven himself to be a strong comedic lead with The Office and The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and Fey may just be the most talented comedic writer in television today. While they don’t have much romantic chemistry between them on screen, the plot only requires that they have comedic chemistry, of which they have plenty.