The Night Before - A Movie Review
'The Night Before' is worth checking out, especially for the trio’s genuine friendship.
Congratulations, you are about to have the best Christmas ever!
Heading out for its Annual Christmas Eve festivities, The Night Before hit theaters in 2015. Three best friends go out on the final annual Christmas Eve adventure before they head into their adult lives. In this night of over-the-top incidents, will they remember any of them?
The Night Before is one rollercoaster ride of absurdity taking place on one Christmas Eve night. While the film gets too wacky in its depiction of drugs, the friendship between the men is the strongest aspect of The Night Before.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogan, and Anthony Mackie deserve an award for the genuine friendship they created. They each delivered remarkable performances. I can’t say enough how heartwarming their friendship is. The film offers a fresh perspective on friendship.
Male friendships are not given enough representation as displayed in this film. Having been through turmoils in life, the friends have been there for each other at every moment. The trio’s relationship, interactions, and lesson about change are the best part of The Night Before.
I liked how they had individual relationships with each other which makes it more authentic. We barely see this realistic portrayal of male bonds in the media where guys just talk about personal issues related to emotions.
During this night of chaotic happenings, the trio meets several characters. Credits include Jillian Bell, Lizzy Caplan, Mindy Kaling, Michael Shannon, and a couple of celebrities playing themselves. You never know who you’ll run into during travels.
As for the rest of the film, it struggles with where to bring the story next. As hilarious as Seth Rogan is, his character’s getting high storyline takes up too much of the story. Eventually, drugs become the main premise instead of the guys spending Christmas Eve together.
A lot of absurd things happen but at least Jonathan Levine accommodates it with the story. The film’s strength lies in its ability to balance humor and moments of genuine emotion. Comedy was forced, mainly during the drug episodes.
During the montages of travels, the characters visit an iconic piano seen in the movie Big (1988). The New York City backdrop serves as a lively setting. And it also plays as a character of its own. The film utilized iconic backdrops in the friends’ adventures to enhance the visual appeal. There’s something always happening in the big city.
The immense city also plays well to the film’s themes about change. The Night Before was more emotional than I thought. Aside from friendship, the film explores themes of personal growth and change. Adulthood is tough to get used to, but one aspect that this film talks about is friendship in adulthood.
As the night progresses, the film cleverly weaves poignant moments into the comedic fabric, creating a narrative that is not only entertaining but also surprisingly poignant. They have arguments but then in the end they come back together to watch a sunrise.
Everyone can relate to this film in some way. Everything changes as we grow up. Sometimes meeting up with friends is hard, and occasionally you drift apart. Even if you can’t meet up for the holidays, keep in touch. Friendship is vital, especially during the holidays. Continue to make plans with friends, especially around the holidays. The memories are everlasting.
The Night Before is in the collection of underrated gems. It’s a good holiday flick to watch with your friends. Not everyone will like it based on its raunchy comedy but it’s worth checking out, especially for the trio’s genuine friendship.
About the Creator
Marielle Sabbag
Writing has been my passion since I was 11 years old. I love creating stories from fiction, poetry, fanfiction. I enjoy writing movie reviews. I would love to become a creative writing teacher and leave the world inspiring minds.
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