Movie review: Due Date ***

Due Date  ***

Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis
Director: Todd Phillips
Rated: R
Showing: Speciality Cinema week of Friday, December 10 - Friday and Saturday 2:30/6:15/ 9:30pm; Sunday 1/4/7pm; weekdays 2:30/6:15/9:20pm. For more information, call 292-2135.
Runtime: 100 minutes
Comedy

The latest goofball comedy from Hangover director Todd Phillips is Planes, Trains and Automobiles for the modern age.

It follows highly-strung father-to-be Peter (Robert Downey Jr.), who must get to LA in five days to be at the birth of his first child.

The architect is on business in Atlanta and about to catch his flight home when a mix-up sees him put on the no-fly list, forcing him to hitch a ride with Ethan (Zach Galifianakis), an annoying wannabe actor who only exhibits rare moments of rational behaviour.

Peter then embarks on the most agonizing journey of his life filled with shamelessly derivative and puerile ‘comedy’ sequences.

Substitute a baby for a wedding and that is the only similarity to the Hangover.

The latter worked thanks to a likeable cast and unpredictable script but this is not as fresh or funny.

There is a large flaw in the script too in that unless Peter has forgotten how to use a phone, he could have gotten cash wired to the airport or another credit card and hired a car.

Also, why stray so far from home days before your first child is due to be born?

Plot holes aside, the movie’s laughs rely on Galifianakis behaving ridiculously but his chief comedy skill seems to be looking hairy and acting like a child.

There are a few decent laughs but Due Date is only sporadically funny.

Robert Downey Jr.’s comedic talent is wasted as the tortured straightman and it is unfair his character suffers so much while the irritating Ethan escapes harm.

Watch if you liked: Road Trip.