Film review: The Watch (3 out of 5 stars)

Director: Akiva Schaffer

Starring: Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill, Richard Ayoade

Remember those comedies where the script was funny without resorting to ad libs, expletives or crude over the top remarks?

As far as the cinema world is concerned they are a dying breed.

While the new comedies are gaining plenty of support from younger generations, subtle they are not.

The Watch has a lot going for it, with some good performances and some laugh out loud moments.

However, there are obvious sections where the cast seem to have been given a free hand to improvise which don’t always work too well.

And I seem to spend my time waiting for the next extreme comment or action. Maybe it’s just a generation thing.

Stiller plays Evan, who is living a fairly boring life by trying too hard to get involved in the community.

After a gruesome murder at his place of work one night, he sets up a neighbourhood watch.

However, the only ones interested are three social misfits who are more interested in having a good time.

This would be enough for many movies, but we also have an alien invasion thrown in for good measure.

Plus, as is the way with these type of films, various moral messages are thrown in.

The main four cast members, naturally, dominate the action although none really need to stretch themselves for the various roles.

Will Forte, though, as a belligerent police officer does stand out among the rest.

I may be biased as he hails from the UK but Richard Ayoade (from TV’s The IT Crowd) seems the funniest of the four in all his scenes.

Or it might just be that we’ve seen the other three play very similar roles before.

Overall, a patchy buddy movie that doesn’t linger too long in the memory.

Steve Payne

Screening courtesy of Cineworld Crawley