Lackluster sequel to the 2011 Summer hit reunites Nick, Kurt and Dale in an attempt to be their own boss. Christoph Waltz is a shady investor that tricks the boys into doing all the work so that he can step in and buy their product for a ridiculously low price. The product is an unnecessary invention (my opinion) called “The Shower Buddy”. To retaliate, the moronic trio decide to drug and kidnap his adult son so they can ransom him to regain control. Of course the plan doesn’t go as planned. Hilarity ensues. Actually scratch that last sentence.
Jennifer Aniston, Jamie Foxx and Kevin Spacey are back in superfluous characters that only remind us how much better the original film was. Their parts really drag the comedy down. Whenever one of them appears, it feels as if the story has been hijacked. Jennifer Anniston’s shtick is of the potty mouth variety. If hearing someone say bad words makes you laugh, then you’ll love her part as written here. The main narrative takes a back seat while these actors from the original give us a bit of improv. The result makes the 108 minute running time, feel unnecessarily bloated
Horrible Bosses 2 isn’t completely worthless, but it isn’t very worthwhile either. The winning chemistry between Jason Bateman, Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis is the best element of the picture. It’s their talent that extracts laughs from a middling script that wouldn’t have been as funny without them. Their camaraderie is what made the first movie such a joy. They still mesh like a modern day Three Stooges. It‘s just that the interaction isn‘t quite as finely tuned this time around. Their appearance on a Good Morning Los Angeles TV show to unveil their new invention is the funniest part in the whole movie. It’s all downhill from there. Their characters are less defined. Instead they shout a lot more. The plot is more perfunctory. Simply put, the comedy just isn’t very funny.
11-30-14
15 Responses
Should’ve renamed the thing ‘Horrible Plot: 2.’ Lol!
I won’t be seeing this but was amused by the review all the same friend.
I didn’t even care to review it but when I finally did, I dashed it off kind of quickly. Glad it amused you. 🙂
I’m kind of surprised you went to see this…
I assume you didn’t go see Dumb & Dumber To since I didn’t see a review? I know the previews looked bad, but the parts on the trailer didn’t have much to do w/ the plot and you hardly noticed them in the actual film. It wasn’t nearly as good as the original of course, but it’s still worth giving a watch; it had some funny parts and is still better than most of the comedies of recent years. If you’re a fan of the original, you will at the very least appreciate watching Carey & Daniels reprise their famous roles. Some of the dialogue was pretty funny. 🙂
You’re right to be surprised. In a moment of weakness I made a bad decision. Loved the original Bosses though. I took a gamble.
Good review Mark. The first one was fine and funny, and while this second one tries way too hard to recapture that magic, it still had me chuckle here and there. That was enough to work for me.
I chuckled a few times too. That demonstration on the morning show was good for a few laughs.
Oops, not watched it yet but i think the direction is not good because i read screenplay of it, which have a good scope.
I loved your choice of adjectives. I did like Chris Pine a lot, but really wanted to throw tomatoes at Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis to make them stop 🙂
They do tend to go on but I find their interplay funny.
Not even close to being as good as the last one. Kinda dumb, however, I like the threesome very much. They have great chemistry together. 3 stars.
This makes me reconsider my recommendation of the first one. Was it even that good?
I thought this was average. Little more offensive and crude for crude’s sake this go around. Some laughs scattered here and there but pretty meh.
22 Jump Street is much better choice for anyone looking for broad comedy in 2014.
I didn’t think Horrible Bosses was anything to write home about, so I was really surprised when I heard it was getting a sequel. I’m not surprised to learn that the sequel isn’t very funny though. I’ve heard about the Good Morning Los Angeles scene that you’re talking about, and if that’s the best part of the movie, count me out. I could do without Charlie Day shouting in something else.
Charlie Day & Jason Sudeikis are a funny comedy duo (They did Going the Distance together in 2010 also) but can they like do something new? Sequels are such a lazy way to reunite.