Le passe-droit

I don't understand all the haters on here about this movie? I thought it was funny and laughed all the way through, and so did my wife. It is a lot funnier than Little Fockers was, and that is not saying much. It is a great movie to go and watch and just sit back and laugh and forget your troubles. What is wrong with some crude humor? I guess since I am in my 40s, and have friends that talk and act like the ones in the movie, it just was funnier to me...who knows....

I guess to each their own......

For me, I wish they would put out more funny movies like this. I haven't laughed so hard in a very long time....

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.

This movie was about two married guys who get a "hall pass" from their marriages, granted from their wives. One of them is given to him voluntarily, the other one pretty much forces it out of her. They pretty much have a week to do "as they please" with other women as one of the wives has had enough with his "noticing" other women.

While the idea is clever and decently executed, and there were some funny scenes and I liked the "Law & Order" spoof parts, I felt like the raunchy humor and "potty mouthed" jokes damaged it. While that could have helped in other films, it didn't really help here.

The cast (especially the leads) was decent and worked well together. You might like this if you are a comedy fan.

** out of ****

This is my review on hall pass. This movie definitely has its ups and downs. It has quite a few laughs but is kind of slow at other parts. I really like how this movie portrays women for what they are. Withholding sex from their husbands and then get mad at them for masturbating things like that watch the movie for more examples. I know women and they definitely pegged it right on the nose.

This movie is about two friends who are not so happy with their sex lives with their wives and are constantly fantasizing about sex with other women. The wives eventually get tired of this and grant them a hall pass. A hall pass is a week off from marriage in which they can do whatever they want. Party, have sex whatever. At first the two friends are excited about this but eventually they discover that picking up girls in your 40s is not as easy as when they were 20.

The thing that really bothers me in this movie are how the women are so mad at their men for fantasizing about other women that they grant them a hall pass out of last resort but all they had to do is just have sex with their husbands more. Not that I'm calling this movie fake im saying this is exactly the type of irrational behaviour women condone.

Overall if your a guy and you love Owen Wilson watch this. If you are a girl and you don't want to have the truth about yourself put into movie format i suggest you stay away from this one.

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.