Movies made by friends who like to hang out together can be almost unwatchable (recent Adam Sandler comedies), but sometimes they can be great. “The Night Before” (2015) is driven by the friendship of Seth Rogen (as Isaac), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (as Ethan) and Anthony Mackie (as Chris). But it lets us join the group and the holiday cheer.
A funny Friendsmas
Director/co-writer Jonathan Levine (“50/50”) chronicles the trio’s one-last-search for the elusive Nutcracker Ball party in New York City (lensed in an appealing holiday glow by Brandon Trost). It’s a holiday-themed, grown-up “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist.”
Now in their 30s, the three men are entering adult phases in their lives, so there’s a melancholy undertone of inevitable change at first. This Friendsmas tradition started 14 years ago when Ethan lost his parents in a car accident and his two besties vowed to never leave him alone at Christmas.
“The Night Before” (2015)
Director: Jonathan Levine
Writers: Jonathan Levine (screenplay, story); Kyle Hunter, Ariel Shaffir, Evan Goldberg (screenplay)
Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie
Rogen and Jillian Bell have a cute marriage and are about to start a family, whereas Gordon-Levitt and Lizzy Kaplan play out a rockier relationship (but it concludes in extremely cute fashion). Mackie’s Chris drifts toward his football teammates, who finally notice his existence now that he’s a star.
“The Night Before” makes excellent use of supporting players – Mindy Kaling as her usual self, Ilana Glazer as a Grinchy “Home Alone” fan, and a brilliant Michael Shannon as a wise weed dealer. Plus we get fun cameos, including a well-placed “Freaks and Geeks” reunion for Rogen, and a perfect pop-singer pop-in.
It has an undercurrent of a stoner movie, with the Jewish Rogen humorously portraying the drug trip that peaks at a Christian midnight mass. But it’s accessible, and never loses its holiday sweetness.
Taking the party to Chi-town
If you’re still in the spirit after “The Night Before” and want to make it a double bill, the Windy City-set “Office Christmas Party” (2016) is a decent chaser. It has one joke, and it takes a while to get there, but it’s a funny one.
Imagine an office Christmas party, except that it turns into something more full of booze, drugs, sex and debauchery than if the 1970s National Lampoon team made an “American Pie” movie. Co-directors Josh Gordon and Will Speck and their six (!) writers have the freedom of an R rating, and they take advantage of it.
They pace the party’s buildup so it becomes gradually more hilarious. It takes too long to get to the party, though. The first half of “Office Christmas Party” borders on boring and relies on Jason Bateman doing his put-upon riff and T.J. Miller being the kid who never grew up.
“Office Christmas Party” (2016)
Directors: Josh Gordon, Will Speck
Writers: Justin Malen, Laura Solon, Dan Mazer (screenplay); Jon Lucas, Scott Moore, Timothy Dowling (story)
Stars: Jason Bateman, Olivia Munn, T.J. Miller
Miller’s Clay appropriately dresses as Santa at the party. He’s not a good boss in a business sense at IT firm Zenotech, but he’s a good boss in that he cares about his employees. His CEO sister, Carol (Jennifer Aniston, channeling her “Horrible Bosses” role), is “OCP’s” Grinch.
In terms of plot, Clay throws the party with his own money so Zenotech can impress and land a major client (a slumming Courtney B. Vance). But really, it’s an excuse to showcase the comedic trappings of veterans from “Saturday Night Live” and other troupes.
Bell of the ball
I particularly liked Jillian Bell (returning from “The Night Before”) as Trina, a pimp who doesn’t take crap from clients because she’s had a rough week of schedule-juggling. She sees an opportunity to rob a drugged-out Clay, so they speed through the icy Chicago streets toward his money.
But he won’t slow down despite her threats. In a goofy moment that had me laughing, Trina points the gun at various parts of his face and frustratingly says “It’s not working!”
Also funny are Vanessa Bayer as a secretary whose status as the “office mom” is a little too appealing to Fred (Randall Park); Karan Soni as a nerdy department head whose insistence that he has a girlfriend now requires desperate “proof”; and Sam Richardson as the office drone who moonlights as a DJ who voices his own “Breaaa brea breaaaaa!” sound effects.
In addition to starting slow, “OCP” ends slowly. We don’t care about the sibling relationship and the fate of the branch as much as the film thinks we do. It doesn’t match “Christmas Vacation” – or even “The Night Before.” But the party itself is hilarious, so “Office Christmas Party” might click with you a few eggnogs into the evening.
“The Night Before”: 4 stars
“Office Christmas Party”: 3.5 stars