The first thing you need to know about Horrible Bosses is that even though it’s being advertised as a ‘black comedy’, it really isn’t. Despite the whole murder thing, there’s nothing particularly dark or daring about it—except for the occasional moments of misogyny, but that’s a whoooole other story.
Maybe I’m starting off on the wrong foot. Although it isn’t the guilty guffaw fest ala Death at a Funeral that it’s supposed to be, once it warms up Horrible Bosses does actually deliver the Laugh Out Louds in spades. This is partly due to the sharply written script by director Michael Markowitz, and entirely due to the impeccable casting of this movie (seriously, in terms of ensembles it rivals Bridesmaids in both performances and chemistry between the players).
Nick (Jason Bateman) is unhappily working for a job that he doesn’t like that much, for an emotionally manipulative boss (Kevin Spacey) that he hates. Dale (Charlie Day) is a dental assistant who is being sexually harassed by his boss (Jenifer Antison), which to the mirth of his two friends, he doesn’t particularly enjoy. Kurt (Jason Sudieikis) actually loves his boss—and then he dies, and his cokehead son (Colin Farrell) takes over.
When Nick is denied a promised promotion, Dale is threatened with blackmail unless he sleeps with his boss, and Kurt’s boss wants him to fire all the “fat and disabled” people, the downtrodden friends joke about how totally rad it would be if their bosses were dead (you may think that it’s a bit too soon for Kurt, who was actually close to his former boss, but it’s not). Then all of sudden they’re looking up assassins in the phone book.
This is when Horrible Bosses begins to find its feet. After struggling to get to the point where the audience is convinced that plotting three murders is indeed a logical next step, the gags then come thick and fast. The story really lifts with the introduction of the boys “murder consultant” Motherfucker Jones (Jamie Foxx) who seems to challenge the three main stars to become a little funnier—which they do. The plot is set and then as expected, all hell breaks loose.
Horrible Bosses is genuinely funny (most of the time) but there are a few things that weren’t so great. While you can laugh at the fact that Dale is a registered sex offender because he was arrested peeing in a playground at night ("there were no children around!” he screams in desperation continually) the limited roles that women play is kind of wack.
For a lot of Hollywood ‘buddy’ male comedies, women either are loyal and stupid or slutty and manipulative, and Horrible Bosses pretty much keeps with that tradition. Dale’s boss Dr. Julia is often nude and surrounded by phallic objects (and the fact that Dale’s complaints of sexual harassment are routinely mocked shows a certain disrespect for male abuse victims), Dale’s fiancé is kind of dopey and oblivious to his distress, and every other woman in the film, ah, Kurt sleeps with.
The film kind of does lose energy by the end, but this is only really when Nick, Dale and Kurt are left to their own devices. Their comic timing is excellent, but they can’t really compete with the performances given by Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx.
But the real surprise of Horrible Bosses is Jenifer Aniston—girl is funny! Apparently when you take away the sappy scripts about getting married and dogs dying, our Rachel is sassy, unashamed of making a fool of herself, and completely owns every scene she is in. As the ‘Nympho’, Aniston is by far the funniest boss and although it could have reduced her to a whimpering, seductive kitten, she is a crazy bitch with a sexual appetite that can only be satisfied in a situation where she has the upper hand. She’s the cherry on the cake of excellent casting.
It has its ups and downs, but Horrible Bosses isn’t half bad. The banter is quick, premise inherently funny and it’s actors know how to bring the laughs.
- Two and a half stars
Horrible Bosses opens in cinemas on Thursday, August 25.