Let’s roll out a list of actors: Jason Bateman, Jennifer Aniston, Olivia Munn, T. J. Miller, Jillian Bell, Courtney B. Vance, Rob Corddry, and Randall Park. Add in directors Josh Gordon and Will Speck (who previously worked with Bateman and Aniston in The Switch; they also brought us Blades of Glory) and writers Jon Lucas and Scott Moore (The Hangover and Bad Moms.) Throw in the failing economy, broken relationships, and office issues with a dash of Christmas ‘cheer’, and you get Office Christmas Party.
Josh Parker (Bateman) is the CTO of Zenotek in Chicago, who is filing his divorce papers just in time for Christmas. [Seriously, what could be cheerier?] Unfortunately, just while he’s experiencing liberation, his company is on the rocks, and its interim boss, Carol Vanstone (Aniston), wants to cut costs by laying off nearly half of the company. Vanstone’s brother, Clay (Miller), wants to keep the staff – and throw a Christmas party to make it all seem less dire.
In what seems ‘typical’ for films like these – the good guys find their voice, the villains get their comeuppance, and everyone gets really, really stupid – Office Christmas Party checks all of the boxes. Unfortunately, it’s not as funny as some other films, and maybe it’s just trying too hard. But here it is in April, with a Christmas spirit to share…
But wait, Die Hard is a Christmas movie, too, right?
Special features include the ability to watch either the Unrated or Theatrical versions, the deleted and extended scenes (including an alternative ending), outtakes, commentary by directors Josh Gordon and Will Speck (theatrical version only), and the “Throwing an Office Party” featurette.
Leave a Reply