Here’s something I’ve learned: never have exceedingly high expectations for a film, but also don’t underestimate the effectiveness of a well-made film either. This lesson has been learned through countless disappointments and pleasant surprises, and I can say that recently, I have added another film to one of these categories. I was not expecting too much from Game Night – I assumed it would be another vaguely-entertaining, but mindless, comedy that didn’t have much below its gleaming exterior. I was unquestionably wrong: Game Night is a riot. A deliriously dark comedy with some macabre twists and a general sense of endearing absurdity, it is one of the most effective dark comedies of recent years, proof that an audacious concept with unrestrained, unimpeded execution can result in something quite wonderful. It may not be entirely original, and it may fall victim to a lot of the same cliches that many other higher-profile mainstream comedies do, but for the most part, Game Night is wickedly-entertaining, subversive crime comedy that takes the audience on an unpredictable journey, descending into total chaos along the way. I was extremely impressed with this film, and considering the previous film from directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein was the ill-fated, malformed Vacation, their sophomore feature Game Night is a considerable improvement and shows that these two young filmmakers are as audacious as they were original.

Max (Jason Bateman) and Annie (Rachel McAdams) are an ordinary suburban couple. They are both extremely competitive (they met and subsequently fell in love at a pub quiz night), and their passion for games of all sorts persists throughout their marriage, which results in a weekly tradition of hosting a game night at their home, where they invite their friends, married couple Kevin and Michelle (Lamorne Morris and Kylie Bunbury) and perpetual bachelor Ryan (Billy Magnussen) and his rotating stream of girlfriends, to take part in traditional games that constitute a conventional game night. However, when Max’s high-flying older brother, Brooks (Kyle Chandler) comes back to the United States after spending some time making a fortune around the world as a wealthy venture capitalist, Max is less than pleased. His brother has always been someone who indulges in excess, and while Max is pleased with his life, he is still envious of his brother’s abundance of riches and charm, which makes him an ideal candidate to suggest himself as the host for the following week’s game night – but when it goes absolutely haywire, and Brooks is kidnapped, the participants realize it is not simply a game, but must use their abilities acquired through “games of chance and skill” to save Brooks from uncertain danger. Hilarity naturally ensues, as it would with such an audacious concept.

Game Night features a wonderful cast, an ensemble with some terrific performances that may not be extremely original, but these characters are well-developed and each actor inhabits the roles with great ease and reliable simplicity, creating interesting characters that contribute effectively to the film as a whole. Jason Bateman gives another vaguely-smarmy but likable performance as one half of the central protagonist duo and plays this role in the same way he does nearly every performance of his that requires him to draw upon his everyman characteristics to play a regular person who finds himself in absurd situations. Bateman is an actor who, admittedly, has never impressed me very much, but that’s rather a consequence of his typecasting in these kinds of roles, with him rarely expanding his choice of characters far enough to do anything entirely original. Game Night sees Bateman doing quite well, and despite being as conventional as always, he does give a good performance, and he is as likable as ever. However, it is the other half of this couple that really is noteworthy – Rachel McAdams, who is consistently great in nearly every performance she gives, leaves the most impact. Endlessly charming, kooky and warm, Game Night as a whole belongs to McAdams, who plays a character that could’ve been a secondary force to her male counterpart, but rather runs proverbial circles around Bateman. It does help that McAdams is an actress that forms chemistry with nearly any performer she acts across, and it is clear in her interactions with Bateman that the film is built on the strength of their committed performances, with McAdams giving a spirited performance, and one that will hopefully be as remembered as her iconic portrayal of Regina George in Mean Girls (unlikely, but she is still terrific in Game Night). An ensemble film like this needs leads that are distinctive but do not distract from the film and the other performers, and Bateman and McAdams find the perfect balance between being the main protagonists as well as dedicated members of the ensemble as a whole.

The supporting cast of Game Night is equally as good as the leads and is populated by some tremendous secondary performances, as well as some surprising cameos (the likes of which I won’t spoil here, because they’re delightful to encounter without any prior knowledge). Lamorne Morris and Kylie Bunbury are not newcomers to acting, but Game Night is one of the first films I have encountered either of them in, with most of their work being in television comedy as well as some forgettable films that aren’t nearly as worthwhile as this. Giving both performers central roles was quite daring, as the roles of Kevin and Michelle are pivotal to the storyline, and could have easily been cast with more well-established performers. However, we can’t discredit the efforts of Morris and Bunbury, who are excellent, and we can only hope that Game Night helps substantially build their subsequent careers. Billy Magnussen plays the same mindless but charming playboy he normally does, and while he may be the weakest of the main cast, he’s still quite good, but his character is too underdeveloped and is just the point of some consistent jokes rather than being a fully-formed character of his own. Yet, he does the best with the role, and his interactions with Sharon Horgan, who plays his romantic interest, are hilarious.

The ensemble as a whole is great, but with the exception of McAdams, there is a performance from one actor in particular that really lingers, and steals every scene he appears in: Jesse Plemons, who is rapidly-ascending to the position of one of the most beguiling character performers working today, humbly starting in small roles and working his way towards a niche of playing a wide array of oddball, offbeat characters that are often the highlights of everything he does, and considering the range of filmmakers he has worked with, its an impressive achievement. Game Night has Plemons in his most irreverent, playing the socially-awkward, vaguely-creepy neighbor who becomes an unconventional hero when the other characters need help the most. Plemons is excellent, being responsible for some of the most hilarious moments in the film, dedicating himself to this strange but lovable character who is perhaps the best part of this film as a whole. It is also worth mentioning that Kyle Chandler, an ever-reliable actor, is fantastic in this film as well, and despite not being the protagonist of the film, his performance as Brooks is central to the film, and he proves his mettle as a consistently-charming cinematic presence. Of the supporting cast, Plemons and Chandler make the most impact, but Game Night benefits from a terrific cast, each of which is an essential part of this film.

I think what makes Game Night such a great film is that it does not hold back on anything, and while it could’ve easily been a convention, run-of-the-mill crime comedy, it takes the approach to be bold and daring rather than playing it too safe. It goes in some truly unpredictable directions and manages to be consistently surprising, subverting expectations and challenging conventions of the genre. It is an extremely original work, and Daley and Goldstein make the most of this outrageous premise, exploring it to its full potential, and packing so much into this film’s concept. Essentially, Game Night is a comedy that is not at all adverse to being dark, utilizing macabre humor in an effective way, crafting an original and audacious story that lives up to its genre. It is a bold film, and it is unflinchingly daring in its approach. Honestly, Game Night is not a revolutionary film, and it does play some familiar notes, but it does so in a way that feels like it is rejuvenating a genre that has become dull and uninspired as of late, and through its unhinged execution, where the filmmakers are not opposed to heightening the intensity and adding abundant amounts of absurdism, Game Night proves to be a beacon of hope in an otherwise bleak landscape of contemporary mainstream comedies. It is usually independent films that make the most intrepid comedies, so to see such a high standard of comedy coming from a studio film is a pleasant surprise.

Admittedly, I did have low expectations for Game Night, but expecting very little and being pleasantly surprised will always be better than the alternative. The film has a tremendous story and a brilliant ensemble who are terrific at interpreting these characters and conveying the events that transpire throughout. It is a subversive, strangely-elegant work of contemporary comedy, with fearless execution and some moments of relentless hilarity that prove the point that sometimes playing it safe isn’t always the best option, and while it guarantees likability, it can hinder creativity and originality, both of which Game Night has an abundance of. It is an entertaining, broadly hilarious film that takes a promising concept and runs with it, resulting in something nothing short of a wonderfully subversive and lovably demented experience.