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Arts & Entertainment

Weekend Movie Forecast: <em>Due Date</em> Vs <em>127 Hours</em>

By

Robert Horan

Published Nov 5, 2010

Modified Nov 5, 2010

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Back in the early to mid '90s, when Todd Phillips was probably following GG Allin around the village, Robert Downey Jr. had a bit of a reputation as an addict. His roles were getting considerably smaller and he was beginning to fade out of the public consciousness as an actor and into it more as a proto-Lohan train wreck (though not quite a post-Lowe one). Anyway, Phillips' gamble of dropping out of NYU film to follow a grown man who threw his own shit at people paid off, and he soon became the auteur of frat-boy man-children funny pictures. Downey ended up cleaning up and starred in some great lesser known films (i.e. the ridiculously good Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) before landing a role in the solid Zodiac and then superstardom in Iron Man. Which brings the two to today and the release of their film Due Date starring Zach Galifianakis. Downey plays Peter Highman, an expectant father trying to get home in time for his wife's due date in 5 days. Along the way he meets Galifianakis, who's an aspiring actor and all around pain in the ass. It can be assumed that if you enjoyed The Hangover you'll get something out of this one too.Reviews have been all over the place and there seems to be a pattern. Basically if you're more of an Onion, A.V. Club person, you'll like it, but if you're more of a NYT person...not so much. And if you're Joe Morgenstern from The Wall Street Journal, you'll really hate it and write stuff such as: "The basic problem is the script, which is credited to three writers plus the director—seldom a good sign. Never mind that it's a retread of Planes, Trains & Automobiles minus the trains, and minus John Candy. Retreads can hold the road, but this one doesn't, despite some sporadically funny stuff."What, for example, are we to make of Ethan, confronted for the first time by the Grand Canyon, saying 'I could've sworn I read it was man-made'? Or mistaking Mexico for Texaco after getting himself and Peter high on cannabis clouds in the confines of their car? Jokes like these leave you yearning for less."

 

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By

Robert Horan

Published Nov 5, 2010

Modified Nov 5, 2010

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Click on the film stills for more details and reviews on this week's new releases and repertory screenings, which include: Due Date, 127 Hours, Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer, Fair Game, For Colored Girls, Four Lions, Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench,Red Hill, Megamind, Red Dawn, and Jumanji

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