A tradition started by two college students to distract their pal from the death of his parents forms the backbone of this yuletide yuck fest. As comedy filmmaking luck would have it, what transpires is essentially a drug-fueled pub crawl caper, Harold and Kumar-like as it follows its leads in search of a mythical Christmas party and, well, weed. The Night Before boasts great chemistry between stars Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Anthony Mackie, with the first two building on their solid screen friendship in 50/50 – whose director Jonathan Levine is also in charge of proceedings here.
There’s enough intruding adulthood to provide small narrative arcs for their characters without going the full Judd Apatow “oh poor me, I’m a manchild who won’t grow up” route, and the resulting film is free to focus on the trio’s collective mishaps and side missions (taking too many drugs and freaking out about becoming a father; getting over a girl; doing what it takes to be a popular athlete). They’re aided by the most hilarious Michael Shannon performance this side of The Insane Delta Gamma Society Letter, Lizzy Caplan, Jillian Bell and Broad City’s Ilana Glazer coming off the bench in familiar, yet welcome, supporting roles, and the sort of roll call of cameos you’d expect (highlights among these including Nathan Fielder as the driver of a heavily-sponsored limo, and the dunce/dulcet tones of narrator Tracy Morgan).
Silly and seldom serious, The Night Before benefits from Levine’s ability to softly switch gears when required. That’s not often, mostly this is a satisfying romp, surely a staple of stoner Christmas Eves to come, and a pleasantly pointless diversion going into the holiday season.
‘The Night Before’ Movie Times
Also Worth A Jolly Watch: Bad Santa, Scrooged, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
