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In 2011, Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, and Charlie Day teamed up to take down their evil employers in Horrible Bosses. You might have thought that, after their first misadventure, they would have learned their lesson. But in the sequel, Horrible Bosses 2, they once again find themselves wronged and plotting revenge—with the same wild and crazy (and lovably bumbling) results.
This comic sequel joins Nick (Bateman), Kurt (Sudeikis), and Dale (Day) on a quest for independence as they try to find financial backing for their new invention, the Shower Buddy. When catalog distributor Bert Hanson (Christoph Waltz) places a huge order, the new company seems to be headed for success. But it soon becomes clear that Hanson has a different plan—one that involves the three aspiring entrepreneurs’ total financial ruin.
With no legal way to fight Hanson, they decide to get their revenge by kidnapping Hanson’s spoiled son, Rex (Chris Pine). But, of course, their plan quickly spirals out of control.
Part of the appeal of the original Horrible Bosses came from its element of surprise. Audiences weren’t necessarily expecting it to turn into such a hilariously dark adventure—nor were they expecting Jennifer Aniston to be so good at being so very bad. But a few pleasant surprises—mixed with one outrageously funny cast—made it ridiculously entertaining. With the sequel, however, that element of surprise is gone. Audiences already know what to expect. But a few new characters and a few new twists keep the same comic misadventure from falling flat.
A film like this one can easily go horribly wrong, with characters crossing the line between lovably bumbling and just plain idiotic. And, admittedly, Horrible Bosses 2 does have a few maddening moments, when the characters’ bumbling goes just a little too far. Fortunately, though, the hilarious cast keeps this ill-advised adventure from going completely off the rails. Sure, the characters make some stupid moves. In fact, it’s a stupid business move that gets them into this whole mess. But they have their clever moments, too. And these constantly-bickering buddies play off each other well, with differing personalities that help to maintain a good comic balance.
The three stars are as entertaining as ever, their comic timing sometimes turning amusing moments into outrageously hilarious moments. And although the sequel doesn’t have the same trio of blatantly sinister villains, Waltz does a pretty good job on his own, while appearances by Jennifer Aniston and Kevin Spacey only add to the fun.
Horrible Bosses 2 may not be as surprising as the original, but even though it has its share of flaws, the talented cast still makes it better than the average comedy. If you’re looking for laughs, skip Dumb and Dumber To and see this one instead.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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