Due Date takes two very popular actors and puts them together for a standard take on the road trip movie. If you have seen the trailer, you were probably reminded of The Hangover, which featured the same director (Todd Phillips) and star Zach Galifianakis, and seemingly something of the same archaic spirit. But is Due Date anywhere near the hilarious comedy The Hangover was?
I don't think so.
Instead, Due Date is a standard-issue road trip flick where an odd couple is thrown together because they share a common destination. The shenanigans get wackier and wackier until the new pair stop arguing and form a lasting bond. This movie is no exception, as Robert Downey Jr.'s character is trying to fly home to be with his wife (Michelle Monaghan) for the birth of his first child when he bumps into Galifianakis's character. They are soon kicked off the flight together, and Downey's character reluctantly joins with his odd new friend for a drive to Los Angeles.
This article appears in Nov 4-10, 2010.
