A group of middle-aged men attempt to relive their youth through a series
of physical and mental challenges.
Review by
Ben Peyton
Directed by: Josh Duhamel
Starring: Josh Duhamel, Dan Bakkedahl, Kevin Dillon, Olivia Munn, James Road, Dax
Shepard, Nick Swardson
The comedic tone for Buddy Games is set within the opening
10 minutes, and it isn’t subtle or pretty. Featuring in your face humour
(literally), it’s unashamedly laddish and immature, featuring a bunch of
middle-aged men desperately attempting to relive their youth in a series
of physical and mental challenges known as "The Buddy Games". To the
victor goes the spoils. Well, a bucket with the word "Champ" written on
it. Their beer-chugging, hot-dog swallowing, boorish banter is as pathetic
as it is puerile, but, more importantly, it just so happens to be bloody
funny.
Obnoxious bully Sheldon (Dan Bakkedahl) has won the games for the
last six years, something that victimised Bender (Nick Swardson)
resents. When a prank goes balls up, the gang split and go their separate
ways. This hits Sheldon the hardest and he finds himself in a dark place.
Lacking purpose and direction, his mother pushes Bob (Josh Duhamel)
into reuniting the boys for one final Buddy Games to get him back on the
road to recovery. As events progress and the boys battle for the bucket,
old wounds are reopened and relationships compromised as it’s revealed
that their past is not as it seems.
In the director’s chair and also on writing duties is the ludicrously
handsome Josh Duhamel, and he’s assembled a fine ensemble cast.
While most of the lads have enough bromance to sink their teeth into, Doc
(Kevin Dillon) and Zane (James Roday) find themselves as
peripheral characters with no real identity and nowhere near enough to do.
There’s a likeable charm to all of them though, regardless of their
unlikable personalities, which is testament to their acting abilities, and
you can’t help but want to see more of their antics.
Duhamel, Bakkedahl and Swardson have the lion’s share of dialogue and all
three are clearly having a blast, particularly Swardson. His high energy
performance and manic anger doesn’t disappoint. Very much a film for the
boys, Olivia Munn manages to make the most of a minor part and
showcases her skills to leave her mark.
Some hilarious set pieces include an explosive speed-dating challenge, a
Komodo Dragon standoff, and you’ll never look at a Pina Colada (should
that be Penis Colada?) the same way again. However, not all trials quite
hit their intended heights. Some of the grosser elements are shocking for
the sake of being shocking, but it mostly works thanks to the efforts of a
game cast giving it their all. There’s no denying their chemistry and
Duhamel’s script is full of laughs.
Brash, boisterous yet with a quirky, juvenile and somehow endearing charm,
Buddy Games might not earn a gold medal, but it certainly
deserves to be on the podium.
Buddy Games is on UK VOD/Digital
from November 30th.
