Pase libre

Seems that not everybody understood the plot. Maybe they were expecting a Vince Vaungh performance. First, the hall pass was given under a misinterpretation and overreaction. These guys were dorks and good husbands, not studs trapped in a marriage that missed their bachelor years. At the end, one of the wives recognizes that the one that needed that break was her, not the husband. If you were expecting a wild and crazy behavior after permission was granted, look for another stupid "guy flick" at Vegas. There were few clichés, like the use of pot and a shart (fart and diarrhea), but even the last one deserved a laugh. Good dorky movie, specially that Kevin James was not in it.

In the world of movies, one of the most endearing genres is that of the goofy comedy - provided it's funny. Unfortunately, this movie does not quite measure up, although it does make an effort. The problem is the story itself. The premise is not funny. Neither are the characters. The two main characters are not funny at all. Their wives are not funny either. The directors even inject some explicit sexual material in an attempt to prop up the movie and it's embarrassing. When one considers the great comedy teams, their characters were fundamentally innocent. Their movies didn't need crude sexual props. Hence, when such props are introduced, that means the movie is in trouble and although the directors try to present an entertaining product, ultimately the final product is such that it generates a feeling of relief when it's finally over.

Hall Pass is a silly movie for all those guys who wished they could still fool around when married, all the while thinking it's their wife's fault.

It's funny, it has ridiculous ideas that it pulls off by sheer force, and it will go at some length of ridicule to extract a laugh from its audience. I must say that the safe room scene was freaking hilarious.

It's a lowball flick with Owen Wilson pulling an acceptable performance and Jason Sudeikis playing on par for his style. The little morals they try to pull in the story get swamped under all the rest, so it's just for fun, really.

Overall, you'll be entertained, but don't expect it do be anything else.

This did make me laugh, one of those right movie at the right time scenarios because it really is pretty dumb. Lots of gross out raunchy humour thanks to the Farrelly brothers.

The plot is nothing remarkable, predictable even but honestly that's not what I'm watching a movie like this for; following two best buds (Owen Wilson & Jason Sudeikis) who are granted permission to take a week off of marriage, only to realize that the reality of single life is not as appealing as they remember after bumbling in their efforts to "charm" women.

A couple of scenes that I really laughed at were the girl "sneezing" into the bathtub and the gym-hot-tub-penis scene. Too funny. Yeah its a "naughty marriage comedy" that I'll probably watch again. 09.13

Pros: 1. Owen Wilson (Rick) and Jason Sudeikis (Fred) have really good chemistry together. It's like you're actually watching two good friends traverse their marriages together.

2. The costume design is spot-on, as Fred and Rick genuinely do appear to be two dorky suburban dads.

3. The comedy is mostly carried by Jason Sudeikis and his comedic timing and sardonic delivery.

4. The soundtrack has some fantastic songs, as well as clearly having some thought behind it as the songs feel like they were chosen appropriately for specific scenes.

5. The movie does a decent job at highlighting the fundamental differences between men and women, in the dating market particularly. For example, where Rick and Fred struggle to pick up any women in a week, Maggie (Jenna Fischer) and Grace (Christina Applegate) instantly pick up men without even trying.

Cons: 1. Whenever Jason Sudeikis isn't on screen, the supposed comedy falls flat. Luckily he is there most of the time.

2. There's no need for the ridiculous over-the-top drama that goes on between Fred, Rick and Brent (Derek Waters) at the end. Not only does it add nothing, or feel needed, but the placement of it right when Fred hears that his wife has been in a car accident is jarring.

3. It's extremely difficult to buy that Richard Jenkins (Coakley) is some sort of successful lady-killer. Caking him up in fake tan does nothing alleviate this doubt.

4. There's criminal underuse of Stephen Merchant (Gary), Larry Joe Campbell (Hog-Head) and J. B. Smoove (Flats). They help to flesh out the two main characters and are therefore sorely missed when they disappear halfway in.

5. The coupling of Grace and Fred is extremely dubious. Not only do both of them end up cheating on each other, but Grace routinely chastises and patronises Fred, and she admits to perpetually refusing to sleep with him.

6. The film paints the wives in a favourable light, and shifts the blame of the hall passes onto Fred and Rick. However, it was Maggie and Grace who voluntarily handed out the hall passes. It was Maggie and Grace who admitted to denying them intimacy, but then wondered why their husbands were sexually frustrated and looking elsewhere. It was Maggie, who when Rick tried explaining the valid differences between men and women in regards to sex, Maggie waved it away and decided not to listen. Moreover, Fred and Rick checking out other women is chalked up to them having "foggy memories of their single days", instead of the actual reasons, a lack of sex from their wives and the biological wiring men have which leads to men becoming tired of hooking up with the same woman, with sexual interest only heightening via new females - it's called the Coolidge effect.