Due Date (2010) – Review

Lazy, derivative and there are not enough laughs – 4/10

Dir. Todd Phillips

Due Date has been dubbed by many as ‘The Hangover 2’. This is to some extent a fair valuation. In both films mismatched blokes must rush back home to attend important events. In The Hangover this is a wedding and in Due Date, Peter Highman (Robert Downey Jr.) is a having a child and wishes to be there for the birth. In both films the main characters encounter bad luck and a series of unfortunate situations largely because of the incomprehensible stupidity of Zach Galifianakis. Both films feature a Zach Galifianakis character who is in equal measure moronic, childlike and deluded. In Due Date this man is called Ethan Tremblay and to Peter Highman’s annoyance he is forced to road trip with Ethan back to Los Angeles after they both get thrown off a plane.

The director Todd Phillips clearly hoped that this premise (two contrasting personalities stuck in a car) would lead to hilarious consequences. Unfortunately, in large parts the scriptwriting is lazy and Downey Jr approaches his supposedly short-tempered character with some nonchalance. It is true to say that there are funny moments and aspects – like Galifianakis’s ridiculous walk – but they are too infrequent and thin to carry the film. Downey Jr’s about turn (from angry suit to understanding nice guy) is too extreme and easy. Galifianakis is amusing and somewhat disgusting in parts but in the end the dynamic between the two characters is not energetic enough to fill a whole film. Jamie Foxx’s interlude had the potential to be a real highlight but it was too brief and again enacted in a lazy manner. Due Date borrows too heavily from The Hangover and fails to take advantage of Downey Jr’s comic potential. I wouldn’t rush to go and see this one.