Reviewed By: Flickman
After watching Playdate, I have to say it lands squarely in the category of “Meh.” There’s nothing particularly exciting about it. There are no standout moments, no real laughs that stick with you, and nothing that makes it feel unique. It’s the definition of a middle-of-the-road action comedy.
The story follows Brian, played by Kevin James, a forensic accountant who gets fired and ends up staying home to look after his stepson, Lucas. On his very first day of this new routine, he takes Lucas to the park and meets Jeff and his son, CJ. It doesn’t take long to find out that Jeff and CJ are being hunted because CJ isn’t exactly Jeff’s son. Sort of. I won’t spoil the details, but let’s just say it leads to a long chase that lasts for the majority of the movie.
The whole setup feels reminiscent of The Pacifier with Vin Diesel. It’s practically the same formula: a tough, ex-military type trying to protect a kid from danger. The difference? Jeff is basically a likeable idiot. And for some odd reason, nearly everyone in the movie drives a silver minivan, which only adds to the déjà vu.
While the movie isn’t terrible, it doesn’t rise above average either. The only time I genuinely laughed was when Leslie, played by Isla Fisher, leader of the “mom mafia”, gets tased by her son while driving. That moment actually had me chuckle a bit. But the rest of the film had me sitting there with a blank expression. I wasn’t laughing, I wasn’t impressed, I was simply watching it because, well, I had already started.
The acting didn’t do much to elevate things either. Kevin James delivers his usual brand of humor, which I’ve never really found all that funny. Alan Ritchson, who plays Jeff, felt like he was trying way too hard to be comedic, and it rarely worked. He had a couple of lines about his dead wife that got a smirk, but that’s about it. His performance reminded me of early John Cena trying to be funny or Jason Momoa attempting humor, which never quite lands.
This is definitely a “one and done” kind of movie for me. I don’t see any reason to revisit it. The action scenes are forgettable, and the comedy feels forced more often than not.
Overall, if you’re bored and just need something to kill some time, Playdate is watchable. Just don’t expect anything remarkable. I’m giving it a straight-down-the-middle 5/10. It’s not great, not awful, just… there.
Overall Verdict: When you run out of movies to watch and there's nothing left but this, then sure, have at it. It's a watchable one-time-only film.
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