Ivan Radford | On 23, Dec 2014

Director: Todd Phillips
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis, Jamie Foxx, Michelle Monaghan
Certificate: 15
Watch Due Date online in the UK: Amazon Prime / TalkTalk TV Store / iTunes / Amazon Instant Video / Rakuten TV / Google Play

Cars are funny. Men are funny. Two men in a car together? That’s hilarious. Especially if they have to drive across America because one of them says “bomb” on an airplane. And then swap bags. And get accused of drug smuggling. And cross the border into Mexico. Oh, and one of them’s about to have a baby! Oh yes, Due Date ticks every comedy box. Except the one labelled jokes.

Peter (Downey Jr.) is an expectant father, trying to travel home to be with his wife – played by Michelle Monaghan for approximately 30 seconds. But it all goes to pot after a string of chaotic encounters with man-child Ethan Tremblay (Galifianakis). He’s an actor. And for that, read: not as funny as Tobias Funke.

Hungover from The Hangover, Todd Phillips throws what feels like his leftovers at the screen to see if anything sticks. A lot of it doesn’t. After 15 unfunny minutes, Robert Downey Jr. hits a child – a low point that also happens the biggest laugh of the film. It’s up uphill (or downhill) from there.

For all of the cast’s enthusiasm, Due Date is a lazy vehicle welded together from the scraps of other road trips. Without the wit of Planes, Trains and Automobiles, it burns up its talented duo with gags that never get out of first gear. The occasional burst of chemistry keeps the engine ticking over, but the tank soon runs on empty. And that’s when they wheel out the disabled war veteran for a punch-up.

A disappointingly average way to make your car journey feel longer.

Due Date is available to watch online on Amazon Prime Video as part of a £5.99 monthly subscription.

 

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