My wife and I saw it in theaters when it came out five years ago. We enjoyed it at the time, but I for some reason didn’t watch it again until last weekend. After years of people on Reddit talking about how great it was, I saw it lurking on my “movies you may like” list on Amazon Prime and immediately started watching it. I have now watched it three times in the past week.
First off, the cinematography and editing are both phenomenal. The way some shots are framed to make it look like they’re inside a board game and/or video is very intriguing, whereas the way certain scenes are edited amplify the comedy. It really didn’t need to be a feast for the eyes, but they went above and beyond to create something unique.
Second off, it has a great cast. Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams are at the top of their game. They have great chemistry and comedic timing together. They know exactly how and when to react in just about every scene they’re in. Not to mention Jesse Plemons, Kyle Chandler, etc. Everyone in this movie delivers.
Third off, it has great writing. Setting aside the tightly written plot, the comedic dialogue is absolutely hilarious. The banter between characters and the quick throw away lines had me in stitches. I’m glad I watched it so much in the past week because I laugh at something new each time. Pretty much every joke lands. There may be a few moments that aren’t as funny as others, but it doesn’t matter because something will have you cracking up in the next scene.
Going off of that, I love how it doesn’t rely on overly vulgar humor like many comedies of the past decade have. Sure, there are a couple dirty jokes and cursing, but they aren’t what drive the comedy. The comedy comes from the situations, the editing, the banter, etc.
I’m glad I finally rewatched it after all these years because it quickly became one of my favorite comedies of all time. Even though it gets praise by random people online, I still think it’s somewhat underrated. If you have Amazon Prime and are looking for a good time, check out Game Night. You won’t regret it.