Due Date
Let us start with the positive. Due Date has an amazing trailer. It features a couple minutes of footage that perfectly captures the essence of the film. It clearly conveys the story; Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis are an odd couple traveling across the country trying to make it to Los Angeles for the birth of Downey Jr.’s character’s first-born son. The chemistry between the two stars is well represented and the clip accomplishes what it is supposed to accomplish. It makes you want to see the movie. It looks so funny and is jam-packed with laugh-til-you-pee moments from beginning to end.
The sad thing is that the teaser nearly ruins the movie by giving away almost every single punch line the film has to offer. Now viewing Due Date is like commercial induced déjà vu, with the parts between the funny feeling at times like filler. This is nothing new. Last year the trailer for The Lovely Bones was basically a Cliff Notes version of the film leaving little left for the audience to explore on the initial viewing. And back a couple of years ago the promo for Vantage Point contained vital information (the president isn’t really assassinated!!) that was a pivotal twist “revealed” more than halfway through the story. There is the argument that the paying audience likes to know what they are getting into but I don’t like it in the least. In the case of Due Date, you have a comedy that has nearly all of the laugh moments given to you before you even sit in your seat. Sad.
Not that the film is a waste of time. There are some great moments that deserve some attention. Director Todd Phillips is following a massively successful film, The Hangover, and his new-found clout is apparent, as he has made a film that is more personal. Here we have a handful of realistic and heart string-tugging moments that makes Due Date a different sort of movie going experience from his previous work (Old School, Starsky and Hutch).
There are plenty of outlandish ideas on display and Galifianakis does another bang up job playing an inspired idiot. The story really works, however, when the characters connect with each other. These are flawed people that need to find things out about themselves and the movie zings when they get a hold of the little truths.
I wonder what the film would have played like if all of its secrets hadn’t been revealed in a heavy-handed ad campaign? It is too hard to say and if there is some chance that you have avoided the constant barrage of clips and teases, let me know what you think. For know, I’m reminded of a little song by pop icon of the 80’s, Tiffany, entitled “Could Have Been so Beautiful”. So true, Tiffany. So very, very true.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGpJUh9j-jU