James Berardinelli

25 May 2012

Some of the material in Hall Pass is just plain gross, but some of it is damn funny.

Bill Gibron

24 May 2012

More than a decade ago, they were irreverent. After watching the mangled mess that is Hall Pass, it's clear that the (Farrellys) are now nothing more than irrelevant.

kosmasp

22 May 2012

Pass

The Farrelys at it again. And I doubt that anyone will think they cameclose to their surprise hit "There's Something about Mary". While notas bad as Shallow Hal, this still lacks a lot of the punches we hadback then. On the other hand, they also seem (and this might be evenmore important)to have forgotten about the gentleness behind it all. Itis a very thin line between the being romantic and crass in Farrelyland. Unfortunately those two things have not been mixed successful.The actors try their best and there are a few highlights (RichardJenkins brings some integrity and fun into the movie, though most ofthose moments can be seen in the trailer). Still not enough to reallyget the movie going. So while there are movies worse than this (evenfrom the brothers themselves), this will probably not excite peopleenough for a second viewing (even in its "unrated" form).

Stephen Whitty

22 May 2012

It wastes a lot of energy to very little effect.

Mark Dujsik

21 May 2012

The simple jokes ... work best here, and the screenplay struggles as the pair completely loses focus on their goal.

Annette Basile

20 May 2012

Weighed down by a shallow premise, cringe-worthy gags and mixed performances, this ends up one big, boring disappointment.

Joden Bandiling

20 May 2012

The truth is that I didnt laugh that much.

Boys and girls, what would you do if you earn a hall pass? Well, boyswouldn't think twice to answer, I bet. A "Hall Pass" is a week off frommarriage. Remember, it's a seven-day period to do whatever you wantjust to fine-tune everything so a couple would be clear our front. IGoogled the two words and came with a Wikipedia result that defines itas "a pass or token used in American and Canadian public schools toshow that a student has been authorized to be out of his/her classroomwhile lessons are in progress." In our country, it was called classpass back then or just simply asks the permission. I came to the pointthat Director Bobby Farrelly and Peter Farrelly naïvely grabbed thispublic school system term and transfer into a medium of differentgross-out formulas. For example, if I ask my schoolteacher's permissionto go to the comfort room and she gives me a "hall pass", I maybe goingthere just to pee, but instead I went to masturbate. This is how ickythe movie goes."Hall Pass" works for its powerful casts of comic actors Owen Wilson,Jason Sudeikis, Jenny Fischer, and Christina Applegate. They play thissuburban couples but either side has different relationship matters.Let start with Rick (Wilson) and Maggie (Fischer). They're happilymarried. They are blessed with two children, a son and daughter. I betthey're faithful to each other, not until Maggie caught Rick gawking awoman's butt they've come across. Words hurt as Maggie believes.Gawking is really a hard word. The word is synonymous to "watching",but it still hurts for her.On the other hand, Fred (Sudeikis) and Grace (Applegate) are lackingcommunication for neither honesty nor reliance. What these couple doeswas to lie every time they pretend that they're suited perfectly. Fredhimself is gawking with the ladies, he just don't know that Graceknows. Realizing that Rick is not well committed to her wife, heprefers wild things gleefully all by himself.This two guys have enough requirements to get a hall pass. Rick getsone because of the gawking situation. Fred gets it too for jerking offoutside marriage. It's a teenage thing to be honest. Since the two getsone each, would that be an advantage? This is barely a trialseparation. Just a hall pass. If you remember "What Happens in Vegas"(2008), Jack (Ashton Kutcher) and Joy (Cameron Diaz) are hitched with aone-million dollars won at hand. They both earn the money. Because Jackgets the quarter left and inserts it to the slot machine, which is fromJoy. But the two would rather conflict from it because only one shouldwin it. Like I said, they're married, sort of. So then, it became thecourt's order to split the money and verify them as a happy couple.Hall Pass is kind of like this.If you are given a hall pass, you are verified whether you and yoursqueeze are intimate with each other. If not, then the seven days areintact. When Rick and Fred starts their seven days, you know what it'slike. They might reel with the babes and may end up actually cheatingon their wives. This barista Aussie named Leigh (Nicky Whelan) attractsthe two boys during their coffee break, Rick mostly. Now that he got ahall pass, he may score this chic. As for Fred, it's just about"checking what's underneath". Otherwise, it's rather unsuccessful. The truth is that I didn't laugh that much. It's not as funny asThere's Something About Mary (1999) was. The Farrellys used too muchruddiness you'll just be forced to grin than laugh. You'd be impressedif you see the actual penis, breast, or the common sexual innuendosthroughout. Maybe a few drugs but it's no biggie. But the film is worthseeing. On DVD rentals.

PWNYCNY

19 May 2012

Beware of the crude props.

In the world of movies, one of the most endearing genres is that of thegoofy comedy - provided it's funny. Unfortunately, this movie does notquite measure up, although it does make an effort. The problem is thestory itself. The premise is not funny. Neither are the characters. Thetwo main characters are not funny at all. Their wives are not funnyeither. The directors even inject some explicit sexual material in anattempt to prop up the movie and it's embarrassing. When one considersthe great comedy teams, their characters were fundamentally innocent.Their movies didn't need crude sexual props. Hence, when such props areintroduced, that means the movie is in trouble and although thedirectors try to present an entertaining product, ultimately the finalproduct is such that it generates a feeling of relief when it's finallyover.

Jin Maruhashi

17 May 2012

Ill Pass

One week, no rules, no fun. "Hall Pass" details the golden opportunitythat two married men- Rick (Owen Wilson) and Fred (Jason Sudeikis)-have to wreak havoc and enjoy themselves in any shape or form possiblefor a full week, and above all, these fortunate individuals have theirwives' approvals. What seems to be a once in a lifetime chance istediously squandered by a morally-abiding storyline that ruthlesslyeviscerates any hopes of laughing at the mischief these two vacuouslyavoided. Even the events leading up to the granting of the hall passare a torturously slow and painful wait devoid of laughter. When thelong-awaited time comes, the build up of expectations for a hilariousride back into bachelor life climaxes to a loud and noisy sigh of sheerdisappointment. It is however, a difficult job to create a comedy thataims to entertain under the promise of showing the wildest seven daysknown to mankind while attempting to somehow squeeze in a lesson ofmorality here and there. But if you can vicariously derive any pleasurefrom quotidian activities like playing videogames, golf and eating atApplebee's with close friends then by all means this is the perfectfilm for it. Otherwise, save yourself the time and money and discardthe hall pass.

Stella Papamichael

17 May 2012

Apparently unable to extract humor from the situation they've set up, the Farrellys resort to doing what they feel they do best: staging schoolboy gags involving the untimely emission of various bodily fluids.

16 May 2012

Farrelly brothers no more

they ruined the careers of some fine actors. Everything was bad, even the lighting was horrible like I had a bad copy (no this is NOT special effects). The acting was as if they said, here read your lines. Out of an hour and a half I maybe laughed for one minute. While the idea would make for a great story, it was like a home movie trying too hard.

Stephen Silver

15 May 2012

Horribly uneven, but the movie's got three or four setpieces that are up there with the best parts of "There's Something About Mary."

13 May 2012

The worst movie I have ever seen

This review is from: Hall Pass (Extended Cut) [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray) Totally disappointed. Not even worth for single star. Too crap script and no laugh at all. Recommend not to buy this movie in any means.

Matthew Razak

12 May 2012

There's no way that Hall Pass is anywhere near the classic comedies the brothers made earlier in their careers, but it is far from their worst comedy.

Joanna Langfield

07 May 2012

Is it redundant to note that this Farrelly Brothers picture is rated R, "for crude and sexual humor throughout, language, some graphic nudity and drug use"? If anything here, the Bros are sticking to their brand. Maybe it's time they grew up a little bit.

Tim Evans

06 May 2012

Every line falls flat, a state of affairs the brothers remedy with an inevitable gag featuring defecation.

Dustin Putman

06 May 2012

Noxious in the extreme, growing into an endurance test the longer one has to spend with these two louts posing as protagonists.

lawrence13

06 May 2012

Mediocre vehicle for pushing porn

The film itself was passable entertainment from the Hollywood McDonaldsstyle menu of mediocrity however the thing that absolute gob smacked mewas the unnecessary and lets call a spade a spade, porn scenes althoughthis film had 15 rating. The one particular scene that I never in mywhole life would have thought I would see passed of as entertainmentwas the Jacuzzi scene. This is where two naked men black and white rushin to save Owen Wilson who'd fallen asleep in the tub. The gratuitousclose up of the black fellers penis -which looked partially erect, mademe feel saddened and sick that this stuff now gets past the censorswithout batting an eyelid.I mean how can you watch this filth with your kids or parents . I haveno doubt as witnessed by the Glenn Beck radio interview with BenShapirowho is an author of a new book about the left liberal strangle hold onHollywood and this film clearly shows that.Let me elaborate: Ben Shapiro talks about the director of desperatehousewives making same sex neighbours the norm. We have the same inEngland where the BBC is dominated by left, liberal self interestgroups. I'm convinced that members of the production team or thedirector have an agenda to make pornography acceptable everywhere inour society. The Farrelly brothers should be absolutely ashamed oftheir contribution to the breakdown of the moral glue of our society.When lovingly shown shots of an half erect penis is passed of for 15year old entertainment then you really feel we are entering the finalage of Babylon.Lawrence Jenkins London

Graham Young

05 May 2012

Though credited with having four writers, Hall Pass struggles to raise a single titter beyond Wilson's unexpectedly short back and sides.

perseverance-soundz

04 May 2012

it was an attempt at being funny and it failed

first off, those of you wanting to watch a movie with the idea that youget to see two failures try to get laid, no. turn around and walk theother way. honestly i didn't laugh till the end of the movie, literallythe last 10 mins was funny. the rest of the movie you get to see sometwo guys eat and sit with there friends talking about getting laid. idkwhere the idea of funny comes from some guys sittin in applebees or abar eating...talking about girls to be funny. owen Wilson isn't acomedian, he gives the same stupid look every time he "tries" to befunny...Jason Sudeikis can play the role well, however with this screenplay this movie is more like a pathetic love story not a comedy.Stephen Merchant in this movie tho..is hilarious at the last 10 minsand in some parts of the movie. this review goes for me and mygirlfriend. so take it as you will...but its not going to be funny..