New Film Review #3: Horrible Bosses

Eh.  Yes just eh.  That is literally the extent of what I feel towards this film.  It didn't need to be made or conceived and the actors in it could've used their time doing better stuff.  But that in itself is sad you see, mainly because I think that all the individual roles are done quite well; the acting isn't half bad, the camera work is good and the atmosphere building is actually really quite good.  To be very honest, the main thing that lets this film down is its plot and how it progresses.

The plot at first sounds good but it's hard to like it mainly because most of the problems faced by the main (and unlikeable) characters (Dale (Charlie Day), Nick (Jason Bateman) and Kurt (Jason Sudeikis)) are resolved slightly all-too-conveniently.  In fact that's actually quite weird, the main characters are unlikeable but their bosses who they are trying to murder are all endearing (despite all being horrible and crazy).  Anyhoo, as the film begins we are introduced to each character in turn and each of these three plucky fellows then explains why they hate their bosses.  The one exception to this is Kurt who is best buds with his boss until his boss dies early in the film and is replaced by his coke-snorting wanker of a son.  As their jobs get more and more un-enjoyable as the film goes on, the three friends decide to hatch a daring plan to kill each other's bosses.  But of course things happen that complicates their plans blah blah blah. Y'know, even though the plot sounds good, when you get into watching the film it really is kind of boring and slightly formula.

Now the 'Horrible Bosses' are by far the jewels in the otherwise slightly rusty crown that is this film.  Dale's boss (played by a sexy Jennifer Aniston) is a raving, blackmailing and downright slutty dentist who constantly badgers Dale for sex whilst threatening to ruin his upcoming marriage.  Nick's boss (a mad Kevin Spacey) is a slave-driving madman who frames Nick for being an alcoholic and insults his family all whilst stealing important titles in the company. And finally comes Kurt's boss (played by a sleazy Colin Farrel), the son of Kurt's deceased and former boss who constantly is horrible to everyone, snorts drugs, gang-bangs prostitutes and desecrates his dead dad's beloved business. There are a few other enjoyable characters in the form of a few cameos, especially the solidly weird cameo by a mysterious Ioan Gruffud (you'll see what I mean when you see it).

And that's about it.  Apart from a not very good set of main good guys and plot, a set of hilarious bad guys, some fun cameos, and a fun chase scene halfway through the film there is nothing much to say about Horrible Bosses.  And as I said earlier, this is a sad thing for me because all the individual parts of this film are quite good/well done.  It's just a pitty that the film is generally unfunny, uninteresting and has a slightly pants ending.