MOVIE REVIEW - Due Date

Due Date is out this weekend with Robert Downey Jr., and Hollywood's newest funnyman Zack Galifianakis.

Due Date is without question this generations Planes, Trains And Automobiles. You may remember that very funny John Hughes movie from 1987 with Steve Martin and John Candy. About two totally mis-matched guys thrown together and forced on a cross-country trip. One straight laced and uptight. The other goofy, strange, quirky and a bit off. Due Date is the exact same movie. OK, the story is slightly different, and many things about Due Date are more 21st century, but trust me it's the same exact formula right down the line.

But that's OK. This formula works. Downey is the straight man, with a pressing reason to get back home to Los Angeles for his pregnant wife. Galifianakis is the goof ball with acting aspirations trying to get to Hollywood to start his acting career. Along the way they learn to hate each other and also to love each other. They have a series of comical mishaps along the way and overall there are some good laughs here. This is sort of a cross between The Hangover in it's irreverence, and it's fun from Planes, Trains And Automobiles.

There are some very funny scenes and also some where the envelope was pushed too far, and it doesn't work. But for the most part it's fun, and does grow an heart and that gives it a bit more credibility. But you may go and think you've seen this before in it's story. But if that's OK with you, then all will be good.

I have to be honest, my expectations for this were not very high going in. But on the way out, I felt entertained and amused. Downey is always good, and even though Galifianakis is thought by many to be really, really funny, he hits and misses with me. But he over all is funny here.

Due Date. Don't look for this on PBS anytime soon, but this is pretty darn funny, even if it's a total ripoff off a 23 year old classic.