Due Date

I was really looking forward to seeing Due Date. I’m a big fan of Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man) and now that most of his personal baggage has been packed and stowed I’ve been enjoying his forays into farce and comedy. He’s like Robert De Niro in that he doesn’t feel like he has anything to prove, so he picks projects that sound like fun and goes where the work takes him. I was also interested to see if Zach Galifianakis could bring anything new to the party after his similar characters in The Hangover and Dinner For Schmucks. That’s why I was disappointed when the early reviews of this film were so mediocre. I was hoping for something really great.

There is also my personal connection to the film. I work on the sitcom Two And A Half Men and Zach’s character, who is an actor in the film, is obsessed with the show. Last season we taped a scene for the movie after we filmed our regular week’s episode. The audience stayed, we all had to sign waivers and none of us knew how we would be worked into the plot. It was just fun being part of the process and we were wondering if we would be seen. So of course, I had to see the film. I needed to view the final product.

Well, the movie was not as bad as I thought, in fact there are parts that are quite funny. But it was a lot darker than I expected and more of a relationship film than a full blown comedy. Both characters are seriously flawed and they must find a way to work together in order to get to California. Ethan Tremblay (Zach) for his audition and Peter Highman (Robert) for the birth of his baby. Time is crucial in that both are facing life changing events. That’s why the stakes are so high and the emotions so raw. In addition, Ethan just lost his father so along for the ride is his ashes in a coffee can, as well as a spoiled bull terrier.

Ethan and Peter first meet at the airport when Ethan’s ride accidently rips the door off of Peter’s town car. As the driver’s are working things out the luggage gets switched and Peter is detained at security for carrying marijuana. (Ethan’s, not his). Everything would have been fine, but Peter has a short fuse and is easily frustrated. When he reacts badly onboard, they are both kicked off the plane and put on the no-fly list.

With no wallet or ID (It was left on the plane), Peter has no way to get home. Ethan, who is accustomed to rolling with the punches, uses his resources to rent a car. He invites Peter to come along, and Peter, with no other options, must go. For once he is not in the driver’s seat and it is making him crazy. The two must now share a common goal, California by Friday.

For me the best part of the movie was the small quiet scenes. I love watching Robert Downey Jr.’s face and Zach has some dramatic chops too. But then the film would swing big and take the story to extremes with wild stunts, larger than life characters, and far-fetched situations. In my opinion the relationship got lost and that’s what drew us to the film in the first place.You can have all the masturbating dogs, pot smokers, and corrupt policeman in the world, but if you can’t ground it with good-old fashion chemistry between two people it won’t feel right. You have to believe that they’ll come out at the end of the journey changed but also together. As is, I have a feeling that Peter is going to lose Ethan’s number. Some relationships are not meant to last.

Rating: Second Run Don’t leave this comedy on the side of the road