Hall Pass

  • 2011-03-23
  • By Jared Grellet

Director: Farrelly Brothers

After four years out of the public eye the Farrelly Brothers (“There’s Something About Mary,” “Dumb and Dumber”) are back producing another film in a genre for which they are already well known; romantic comedies that push the boundaries.
At some stage in every relationship, every male comes under the belief that the only thing separating them and every beautiful woman they meet is the relationship that they are in. Working on this premise, the Farrelly’s take two suburban 30-something couples in which the wives are fed up with the wandering eyes of their husbands. In order to strengthen their relationships and in the hope that their husbands will realize just how lucky they are Maggie (Jenna Fischer) and Grace (Christina Applegate) give their husbands Rick (Owen Wilson) and Fred (Jason Sudeikis) hall passes.

The idea of a hall pass is simple: one week off marriage to do whatever they like with whomever they like. But Rick and Fred soon come to realize that the singles scene is not as simple as they remember it being from their college days. What unfolds is a hilarious sequence of cringe worthy pick up lines and awkward situations when the two husbands reenter the singles scene.  At the same time the film also touches on the more serious subject of self doubt that any couple in a long term relationship has at some time or another experienced.

Amongst the hit and miss films that have focused on suburban males entering the period of post-marriage (“Hot Tub Time Machine,” “Grown Ups”), following “The Hangover,” this is certainly the pick of the bunch. Although not the best work from the Farrelly’s, the film has enough new material amongst the recycled to make it worth a visit to the cinema.

Now showing  in Latvia and Lithuania. Opens in Estonia on April 15.

 
 

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