Marriage for many is a test that often ends up a bumpy ride. Rekindling the weakening spark usually requires significant effort, and many are lazy in their attempt; for fear of change – to routine, or as people. In Date Night it seems two of Hollywood’s funniest people aren’t exempt. If Steve Carell and Tina Fey are reliant on the titular concept to keep the sunshine and lollipops in their (fictional) relationship, then what hope have the rest of us got? The film suggests not much – their bumpy ride is extreme and brings only the slightest source of comfort.

When Phil (Carell) and Claire (Fey) Foster take an immoral opportunity to eat in an exclusive New York restaurant, their night is turned upside down after they’re mistaken to be a couple involved in blackmailing high profile identities. A simple premise leads into a not so simple plot, as criminals are not who they seem, the Fosters throw away everything they’ve ever known and Ray Liotta – well no, there’s nothing different there, he’s the same as always. Date Night manages to plays a game with us as the Fosters stumble through their own maze; multiple rounds of ‘Spot the Celebrity’ often take some of the focus away from the two stars. As the story twists and turns, new characters are thrown into the equation. While the short-term impact most of them have is actually pretty effective (Mark Wahlberg particularly causes a stir), Mark Ruffalo as the Foster’s newly separated friend is wasted.

The problem with Josh Klausner’s script is that it doesn’t know where it’s going; it stumbles along as you’re forced to sit through quite a bit of umming and aaahing and a car chase that lasts five minutes too long. The writer of Shrek the Third and upcoming Shrek 4 has made Date Night fun, but nonetheless stale – the story doesn’t deviate from a generic storyline, merely the plot (which gets pretty o-t-t crazy). Director Shawn Levy (Night at the Museum 1 and 2) hasn’t made it clear whether it has any intention of being family friendly; if the lack of adult innuendo targets a wider audience.

They say an actor is only as good as his material: for Carell and Fey, they often make it better than it should be. Here, they are forced to do so – and their performances still command the audience to pay attention. Their strong presence is helped by the numerous supports, but there are moments of true comic genius. It’s a shame that Fey particularly didn’t have any creative impact in the making of this film. If she had, it may have just lifted Date Night into the skies of unforgettable comedies. It’s a delight to watch her in whatever work she does as (until now) one of the most underrated comedians in the business. She works well with Carell, who also delights. With these two at the helm the expectation may have been too much for the overall outcome; what you get is a film that promises a lot but only delivers in part. The soundtrack pushes things along with original music by Christophe Beck, but the cheap laughs override the true belly aches to only make it a good enough (but not totally fulfilling) experience. Watch for some redemption as the credits roll…

Verdict:

Date Night is good for what it is, but expectations should be reasonable. A viewing of 30 Rock (Fey’s superior work) should follow.

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