If Horrible Bosses wins any awards, which it probably won’t, the acceptance speeches will have to thank Throw Momma from the Train or the eighties classic 9 to 5. The influences are plain to see, but this doesn’t prevent Horrible Bosses from being a surprisingly enjoyable film.
The movie follows three workers, Nick (Jason Bateman), Kurt (Jason Suedeikis) and Dale (Charles Day). Nick works for a right bastard (Kevin Spacey, playing the bad guy with obvious relish) while Kurt has a pleasant old cove (a neat Donald Sutherland cameo) as his boss until tragedy strikes and he finds himself working for the old man’s cocaine-addicted son, played by Colin Farrell. Dale, meanwhile, has the dubious pleasure of working under (sorry) sexually-harassing dentist Jennifer Aniston.
They meet up, plan to commit murder and then attempt to get the job done. Not much in the way of serious plot or original comedy, but it is summer after all. Just be glad you’re not watching some irritating 3D cartoon characters while wearing daft glasses.
Our Three Musketeers prove to be not very good at murder, hiring a hit man or blackmail. But they did provide an entertaining film. It may seem a waste to put together such strong talent as Spacy, Farrell and Aniston without building the whole thing around them, but maybe they wouldn’t have enjoyed themselves so much if they had more prominent roles.
It made me laugh, it had a few plot twists that weren’t completely telegraphed and featured some surprisingly good performances from actors in unusual roles. And no daft glasses.