Comedies are hard to get right; plots are recycled over and over, jokes rely too heavily on crude humour, and the films often fail to connect with audiences and are consequently soon forgotten. From the same writer-director duo who brought us "Vacation", a critically slammed comedy (I actually found it quite funny) that flopped at the box office, "Game Night" should not be as good as it is. Thanks to a keen cast and a sharp and witty script, "Game Night" is not only a funny comedy but also one that I can see being remembered for years to come. Although "Game Night" may not be remembered for its laugh-out-loud moments (there aren't too many of them), its thrilling narrative, full of twists and turns, is sure to help it stand out in the comedy genre.

"Game Night" would not work as well as it does if a different group of actors had been assembled. There is a reason why Jason Bateman continues to get cast in roles like this, he always delivers a solid performance. Bateman may appear to play the same character in every comedy film he is in, but at least he is reliable. I thought Bateman's Max allowed him to have a little more fun than usual and he had good chemistry with Rachel McAdams' Annie. Speaking of McAdams, it was nice to see her return to the comedy genre; in recent years, McAdams has found a home for herself starring in dramas. McAdams gives an enthusiastic performance and has some funny moments. Jesse Plemons plays the hilariously weird and creepy Gary; Plemons only had to stand around gawking and already had the audience laughing. Aside from having quite a distinctive appearance, "Game Night" helps to showcase Plemons' range as an actor; this is very different to the performances he gave in both "Black Mirror" and "The Post". Billy Magnussen probably has the most comedic lines; he plays the airhead of the group and is perfect. Sharon Horgan, Lamorne Morris and Kylie Bunbury all have their fair share of funny moments, which they all deliver effectively. There is not a weak link in this cast, everybody is game (excuse the pun).

Thanks to strong performances, the characters are already likeable. What I appreciated though was that each character received some level of development; they had different subplots and characteristics which helped to make them even more endearing. The film begins by introducing the central couple, Max and Annie, and quickly tells the story of how they met; of course, it was at a pub quiz! Flashforward a few years and we find out that the couple is struggling to have children because Max is too stressed due to sibling rivalry. Yes, it is problematic that Annie's main motivation throughout the entire film is to be able to become a parent but thankfully there are other female characters who have different goals and desires, it is not like the writers assume all women aspire to be mothers. This development also raised the stakes of the plot as if Max remained feeling emasculated, the couple could not become parents. Max's brother Brooks is supposedly a rich businessman who works on Wall Street. In a game of 'Never Have I Ever', Kevin (Morris) finds out that his partner Michelle (Bunbury) has slept with a celebrity; Michelle and Kevin have been together since college which leads to Kevin worrying that Michelle has been unfaithful. This is a running gag throughout the film that builds to a satisfying climax, including a terrific cameo. Ryan (Magnussen) has a history of bringing a different girlfriend to each game night, another running joke that eventually leads to Sharon Horgan's Sarah joining the group; Sarah is Ryan's Irish friend from work. Finally, Gary used to get invited to the game nights hosted by Max and Annie, but since separating from his wife, he no longer does and by default, leads a lonely life. It is rare for a comedy to have so many established characters; they are not just one-dimensional pieces being moved around the board, Daley and Goldstein do a great job of developing eight significant characters.

"Game Night" is visually impressive. The film begins with a clever take on the opening studio credits; the logos of Warner Bros and the other production companies are made to look like board game pieces. I also liked how the wide shots were filmed and filtered to look like a cardboard board-game; it was a subtle yet smart touch. The action scenes looked good considering the film was made for $37 million. What I liked most about the action is that the characters turned everything into a game; stealing the egg turns into a game of catch, the car chases resemble automotive video games, and they use charades to communicate without being caught.

SPOILERS
"Game Night" is a sharp, witty and well-written comedy. It is rare for the story to impress me more than the jokes when it comes to films in this genre, but "Game Night" exemplifies this. The narrative is well-paced and is packed full of twists and turns that make the 100 minute running time fly by. I think everyone will guess that the kidnapping of Brooks is not part of the game early on, but from that point onwards, I found each twist surprising. It was so obvious looking back, but I did not expect Gary to be the one hosting the game night; when he is wounded and Max promises to never exclude him from anything again, Gary snaps out of being in pain and reveals that he has orchestrated the entire night; I was truly surprised. However, the twists do not stop there as we find out that Brooks is indeed being hunted - that part was not part of the game Gary planned. This kept me engaged as I was excited to see where the story would go next. I also liked that each couple took a different approach to solving the mystery; Max and Annie tracked Brooks' phone, Sarah and Ryan tried to cheat, and Michelle and Kevin followed the instructions. This ensured that every possible narrative direction was played out, wholly executing this great concept. I had already seen glimpses of what ended up being my favourite jokes in the trailer, but luckily, they were extended versions which left some unseen funny moments on the table. My favourites included the scene where Annie helps heal Max's bullet wound (I couldn't contain my laughter when they started gagging) and when Max turns Gary's dog red. There were plenty of other funny moments, they just weren't as memorable.

I thoroughly enjoyed "Game Night". The funniest moments may have already been given away in the marketing campaign (if you haven't seen a trailer for the film yet, you're in for a treat!), but what "Game Night" lacks in laugh-out-loud humour, it makes up for with an entertaining story. "Game Night" is a story-based comedy and writers Daley and Goldstein have nailed that narrative! Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams and company all clearly had fun making this film; their performances show that. Surprisingly ambitious with its visuals, "Game Night" is the year's first comedy, and it certainly kicks off 2018 on a strong note for the genre. Just like the title promises, "Game Night" is fun, playful, surprising and enjoyable.