The Night Before: Secret Party

This film tells the story of three friends who finally gets the tickets to go to the most epic Christmas party of all time.

"The Night Before" is a silly, drug fuelled journey that lasts for one evening. There are loads of eye rolling moments that are meant to be funny, but ends up frustrating me. It's tiring to see adults acting irresponsibly and recklessly as if consequences do not matter. The only redeeming part of the film is the extended cameo with James Franco. That part is funny and saves the film a bit. Overall, I think the film is not so entertaining, as it's too brainless and unfunny. Maybe I'll have to be in the right state of mind to enjoy it.

I'm a pretty tough critic when it comes to movies in general, with comedies' standards differing a bit. I was very pleasantly surprised with this movie. I expected it to be pretty funny, but nothing special. I came away thinking it was pretty funny; but also found it to have a lot of heart and actually/shockingly, quite thought provoking. As I get older, relationships with friends are becoming confusing, complicated, and frankly quite difficult. And this movie hit on that really well. I also thought Mr. Green was an amazing character; and he's now a bit of a personal cult favorite of mine id say. This goes down as one of my three or four favorite Christmas movies.

I need to watch more holiday movies this month and this randomly popped up on my feed. I don't know why I didn't watch this in theaters because it was pretty funny. You can tell a lot of the jokes were improvised on the spot (which I love) and Michael Shannon might be my favorite thing about it.

I was reluctant to see the film. I heard it was vulgar and tasteless. I saw bad santa in the day, and although it was filthy and offensive, I laughed a lot. the night before is neither vulgar or tasteless. it's just nothing. no one in the theater laughed, no one walked out. I actually couldn't give it a number. seth rogen is, well, seth rogan. no acting stretch of any kind. Joseph gorden levitt, who reminds me a great deal of a young johnny depp (pre-stardom), is totally wasted, no pun, here. I was hoping for laughs and instead was wondering what the film maker had in mind. I couldn't tell. I know movies are subjective and we all don't see the same movie. reviews are mixed. I wanted to laugh. no luck there.

Good fun, this - it's a fairly uninspired premise overall, but the dialogue and performances are so strong it almost brings it to a realm of its own.

Not funny or clever enough to be an 8, but too entertaining & powerful and understated (particularly now, in 2024 when everything is heavy handed to the point of childish) to be a 6 - as Christmas films go, it's really good. As far As films in general, it's very average and probably not massively re watchable on its own cinematic merits.

That being said, I wish there were more Christmas movies of this ilk, properly for adults with heart without resorting to heavy-handed schmaltz, and a bit sweary - I guess the reviews here indicate the audience for them isn't as vast as I'd like to think (same for the brilliantly original Violent Night), but I for one would love to see a film made soon which leans into the adult energy as wholesale as this does. Too many 'adult' Christmas films lately are trying too hard to please everyone. The Night Before is refreshing and increasingly a festive staple for me, year on year.

Recommend.