Directed by: Seth Gordon
Starring: Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, and Jason Sudeikis
Reviewer: Brett Gallman
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Reviewer's Rating: *** (Three Stars)
Three guys (Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, and Charlie Day) are saddled with the worst bosses in the world (Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell, and Jennifer Aniston); instead of quitting (not possible in this economy!), they decide to resort to homicide. A farcical series of events ensue as their plans are derailed by bad luck and their own ineptness. Horrible Bosses manages to be consistently funny not only due to its outrageous, premise (which stays light despite its black-hearted intentions), but also due to the chemistry of the cast. The leads somehow manage to be the normal, affable personalities (though Day is abnormally high strung) despite their homicidal intent; this should tell you just how horrible their bosses indeed are.
Those three antagonists are a memorably absurd trio who redefine inappropriate workplace relations. Spacey is a manipulative sociopath with a soulless quality (imagine working for John Doe from Seven), while Farrell is a twitchy coke-fiend who gains laughs simply from his dwarfish, balding appearance that’s humorously incongruous with all the number of women he manages to bag. Aniston delivers the most outrageous performance as a nymphomaniac dentist who threatens to wreck Day’s engagement with her sexual advances; the role is obviously opposite of the wholesome image Aniston usually projects, but she completely owns it--she’s sexy, bitchy, and raunchy. There are a lot of funny motherfuckers to be found, but the funniest is Motherfucker Jones (Jamie Foxx), a hit-man and “murder consultant” for our heroes. He threatens to steal the show and walk right off with it, and he probably would in a comedy with a lesser ensemble.
However, Horrible Bosses features a cast and crew that’s completely dialed in and on the same wavelength. The script is especially smart in structure, and director Gordon embraces the cast’s natural chemistry and comedic timing to create a tidy tale of murder and mayhem that just hits the spot.
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