Stop reading right now if you find gross-out comedies repulsive and don't like legitimate, well-known actors doing disgusting things that could ruin you for seeing them in any more serious efforts in the future. I love seeing actors let their hair down and go for it in the spirit of having a good time themselves and (more importantly) making audiences laugh while doing so, and "Rough Night" is a very good example of exactly that. Everyone here clearly had a terrific time on set, I have no doubt some of the funniest dialogue was improvised, and that kind of free-spirited energy spills over for the benefit of any willing audience members who are there to go along for the ride and have a good time, too. Yes, the film could've used a quicker editing pace, does flag just a bit a few times, and cutting it to a 90-minute-ish running time would've likely made it an even tighter, funnier, zippier ride. But I mean to emphasize the most important thing: I laughed--a lot, and so did the audience around me. All of the main ensemble are a hoot, and one of the reasons I love this genre of comedy is discovering new talented comedians I didn't know before, usually in smaller supporting roles--here it's Paul W. Downs as a soon-to-be-married "6" (out of 10--the script's reasoning for his friends rating him a 6 are hilarious) who decides no one's going to stand him up at the altar. His efforts to fight back are easily one of the best running gags in the film. I'm a huge fan of Kate McKinnon's--sometimes just the way she facially reacts to other actors' lines can have me lost in belly laughs--and she's a standout here, but everyone genuinely pitches in and goes for it--and I love 'em for it! Good comedies are so rare these days, and I run to every one on opening weekend to pay to support them, hoping more will be made. Overall the mainstream multiplex movie fare leaves me wanting these days, and I hope all-out comedies, there for no other reason than to make us laugh and lighten our days, never go away.
Review of Rough Night
