Hearing that deep movie trailer voice say, “but this tale’s not about presents or Santa or ponies. It’s about three dudes, three bros, three ride-or-die homies” really tells you all you need to know about The Night Before, a Christmas comedy from some of the people behind quiet hits This Is The End and Neighbors. If that’s not enough here are some completely unscientific reasons why you might want to see The Night Before:
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Anthony Mackie
What can’t this guy do? He can do drama like in The Hurt Locker. He can be a likable action star like in his mainstream Marvel superhero role The Falcon. He can even do dark comedy like in Michael Bay’s bodybuilding criminal caper Pain and Gain. So what’s even left for someone like Anthony Mackie? Apparently a bro comedy. He’s just so magnetic and watchable.
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50/50
50/50 is a film whose core creative team of director Jonathan Levine and actors Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt is being reunited for The Night Before. Reviewers loved how 50/50 balanced the needs of comedy and tragedy in its central cancer conceit. Can this trio strike gold again with a apparently lighter premise? Look for Joseph Gordon-Levitt to exercise his impressive range. From what I can tell in the trailer his character seems more rough around the edges, closer to his meat-head role in Don Jon than the scraggly wistful guy that somehow still haunts his public image.
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The Ad Campaign
Who advertises a movie like this?
Not only does this ad campaign show a refreshing self awareness it also saves the movie’s jokes for the actual movie. I really appreciate advertising that stands on its own outside of the thing it’s trying to sell. That’s a pretty hilarious fake interview regardless of whether or not I end up seeing this movie. Even if I do see the film absolutely nothing has been spoiled. More films need to do stuff like this. This ad does double duty of promoting comedian/elaborate performance artist Nathan Fielder who conducts this sham interview. You might know him from the various stunts his comedy central show Nathan for You has pulled off like Dumb Starbucks (link: ) and this best-selling fake fitness craze based on a completely fictionalized guru who was allegedly Steve Jobs’ “best friend as a child”.
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Possible Male Nudity(?)
The MPAA rating for The Night Before says, “R for drug use and language throughout, some strong sexual content and graphic nudity.” so there’s that. Is anyone saying that Seth Rogen is going to take a stand for nudity equality in popular film? No. But no one is saying that that’s not going to happen! So if the thought of Seth Rogen’s junk making history is enticing to you… well I can’t really help you, but maybe this movie can?
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Christmas Spirit
With all apologies to our one million plastic baby-Jesus lawn ornaments, isn’t Christmas really about taking your friends to pour out some 40s on your parents’ grave? Isn’t Christmas about doing a respectable amount of cocaine while you freak out about becoming a father? Isn’t throwing up in an old school liturgical church while wearing a terrible Star of David sweater what it’s all about? If you are the type of iconoclast who answered yes to any of these questions, The Night Before is for you. Honestly, with all of this crazy stuff is in the trailer I have no idea how to prepare my psyche for this film.
The Night Before is playing everywhere November 20th.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As1zja2shsA