Who Knew Just How Funny A "Rough Night" Can Be?
- Starring Scarlett Johansson, Kate McKinnon, Zoë Kravitz, Jillian Bell, Ilana Glazer
- Rated R
- Comedy
- Run time: 1 hr, 41 min
- In theaters June 16, 2017
We all learned years ago that female-led comedies can stand up to their male counterparts when Bridesmaids took the world by storm. Rough Night is a worthy successor to the crown.
The ensemble cast and script are similar to the other film, but there is enough to set this movie apart from previous comedies in the genre. The element of suspense woven between raunchy moments, running jokes and sincere notes of friendship adds a layer to the antics.
When there are some actual stakes to the plot in a comedic film, every choice seems more mindful, every line seems more deliberate and every scene seems more than coincidental. Rough Night combines these choices with some truly laugh-out-loud girl power.
A true joy of this film is Scarlett Johansson, who doesn't get to often show the comedic chops she's obviously been blessed with. The women all play off each other extremely well, each adding a dimension to the friend group and core cast of the movie.
There are a few aspects that may be a tad too raunchy, even for fans of the genre, including a semi-subplot with some super kinky neighbors (oh hi there, Demi Moore), but they do well to not beat a joke to death.
Overall, if a break is needed from the nonstop action and superhero films that are taking over the box office, Rough Night could be the breath of fresh air, and the reminder that girls can in fact run the world.