The Night Before Movie Review

Hello, fellow moviegoers!
   It’s that time of year again. The awkward part of the year where some people are getting all prepped and ready for Christmas, while others are dreading the first snow of the season. As with every year, 2015 is bringing a slew of Christmas movies out in November so they can be out in time for Thanksgiving. It’s an annually strange time. But it can, however, bring some good movies with it.
   This year, Seth Rogen and his team behind films such as This Is the End, Neighbors, and The Interview, present us with The Night Before. The story revolves around three friends who have a tradition of partying around New York City every Christmas eve. It stars Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Anthony Mackie. So does this film become and instant Christmas classic like Christmas Vacation? Does meet the bar set by Neighbors, This Is the End and Pineapple Express? Both? Here’s what I thought…

   Much like Rogen’s previous endeavors, this definitely isn’t a film for everybody. This is a movie full of absurdly strange sequences with an over-the-top sense of humor, and could only really be enjoyed by a select group of people.
   It’s commonly believed that the best comedy is the kind that doesn’t care about offending people. That is what this film excels at. It manages to poke fun at almost every ethnicity and religion out there, which can be a good and a bad thing. It really depends on the type of person you are. Some people are going to love that about this movie. Others may completely hate it. Personally, I found it to be what made the movie so enjoyable. They don’t pull any punches. If you go into this movie fully expecting that, then there’s a good chance you will like it.
   The standout part of the film by far is the cast. The group of actors and actresses assembled for this movie was fantastic. The three main characters played by Rogen, Levitt, and Mackie were particularly great. The on-screen chemistry between these three actors was some of the best of the year so far. The three of them worked so well together! This is largely in part due to the screenplay. The way these characters were written was so well executed. You really get a sense of companionship among these characters. The smaller cameos in the film also added to the overall fun experience, especially when the actor is playing a role completely unlike anything the actor is typically known for (I’m looking at you Mr. Green).
  There were a few times that the plot would get a little too convenient, even for a movie like this. I won’t spoil anything, but from my understanding, it’s pretty difficult to go wander around New York City looking for somebody without any idea as to where they could be, and actually find them. Also, even with the twisted sense of humor this film has, it did rely on simple potty-humor a few times. It really wasn’t funny when it did. It more just made the theater uncomfortably silent.
  Surprisingly enough, this film captures the Christmas Spirit so well. It’s a fun time where you can hang around with family, friends, and just have a good time. No matter what kind of time that is. Overall, I found this movie very enjoyable. While I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone, if you’re a fan of Rogen’s previous works, you will definitely enjoy this movie.
7/10

  So what did you think of The Night Before? Do you think this is a good Christmas movie? What do you think about movies like this coming out over a month before the actual holiday? Let me know by commenting on this post! If you enjoyed this review, share it on Facebook and Twitter. It really helps! This week is going to be a little different as I will be posting four reviews, as opposed to the usual three. You can expect to find my reviews for Spotlight, The Good Dinosaur, and Creed, later this week!

Thanks for stopping by!