Review – The Night Before

This is not a Christmas movie you see with your grandmother.  The Night Before is a raucous, debaucherous, drug-fueled Christmas movie in the same vein and sub-genre as Bad Santa (2003) and A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas (2011).  But what The Night Before has more than either of those films is heart.  The movie might be filled with bad language, drugs, and sex, but at the core, it is a sweet and touching film about adulthood and family.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anthony Mackie, and Seth Rogen star as Ethan, Chris, and Isaac, a diversity friendly trio of friends who started a tradition of going out on Christmas Eve and partying the night away after Ethan’s parents tragically died a few days before Christmas in 2001.  Now, fourteen years later, everyone’s lives have changed.  Isaac is about to become a father, Chris is a famous football star, and Ethan is trying to get his life together.  Because of this, the three decide that this will be the last year for the celebration.  This time, however, the three have invitations to the most epic Christmas party in New York and make it their mission to get there.  Getting too the party isn’t as easy as they had hoped though, as the boys encounter a number of bizarre situations while also dealing with issues that push their friendship to the limit.

Gordon-Levitt, Mackie, and Rogen are a great trio.  Each one brings their own brand of comedy and acting to the film and they mesh very well.  Levitt gives us a character we can really sympathize with, but also cranks out the laughs when he needs to.  Mackie reminded me of a young Will Smith, with his perfect timing, swagger, and charisma.  And Seth Rogen is, well, Seth Rogen.  He’s awkward, he’s high, he says stupid things and it’s all funny.  Michael Shannon continues his streak of perfection as weed dealer Mr. Green, who shows up whenever the guys need him and hooks them up with epiphany-inducing weed.  Ilana Glazer from Broad City is my favorite part of the film as a woman who idolizes Christmas bad guys like The Grinch and Hans Gruber and tries to be them by stealing and knocking gifts out of people’s hands.  Lizzy Caplan adds charm as Ethan’s Miley Cyrus obsessed ex-girlfriend.  Though the love story is a bit shaky, Caplan and Levitt have great chemistry and I would love to see them work together again.

What this film does do well is give us compelling, relatable characters that we can identify with.  Behind the slew of drugs and debauchery, this is a movie about friendship and family.  It doesn’t break any new ground in the genre, but this is way more than just another “Boys Night Out” kind of movie.  We have all felt the issues that these guys are dealing with and the feeling of possibly losing our friends to adulthood.  This is also a Christmas movie in every way.  It is all about Christmas miracles and capturing and enjoying the spirit, while also shining with decorations, sweaters, and lights.

The Night Before is a rambunctious time.  It is an entertaining and sweet movie with a lot of heart and a lot of laughs.  With a great cast, familiar story, and filled with Christmas spirit, this is one of the better Christmas movies in recent years.

MY RATING – 3/4

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