"The Out-Laws" – A Comedy That Misses the Mark

"The Out-Laws" is a comedy about Owen Browning (Adam DeVine), a clueless bank manager, who gets caught up with his fiancée's secret-bank-robber parents, Billy and Lilly (Pierce Brosnan and Ellen Barkin). The movie tries to capture the spirit of classic comedies like "The In-Laws," but it falls short in almost every way.

Plot Overview:

Owen is engaged to Parker (Nina Dobrev), a yoga instructor. Despite being a decent and quirky person, Parker is inexplicably paired with Owen, who is immature and constantly freaks out over minor issues. This kind of relationship dynamic is typical of sitcoms where an annoying man-child ends up with a beautiful, patient partner.

Neither Owen nor his parents have met Parker's parents, who claim to be anthropologists studying in the Amazon. When they finally meet, Owen unwittingly reveals enough about his job to set up a bank robbery. Billy and Lilly, needing cash quickly, use this information to their advantage. The movie drags on with repetitive scenes of car chases, shootouts, and yelling.

Cast and Characters:

The film features a talented cast, including Julie Hagerty, Richard Kind, Poorna Jagannathan, Michael Rooker, and Lil Rel Howery. Unfortunately, their efforts are wasted on a script that doesn’t give them much to work with. The humor often feels forced, with characters blurting out random lines that don't make much sense.

Direction and Style:

Directed by Tyler Spindel, "The Out-Laws" has a sloppy and improvised feel. The movie is shot in a wide CinemaScope ratio, which seems unnecessary for a comedy and gives it a pretentious air. The title itself, with its grammatically unnecessary hyphen, tries too hard to reference the classic "The In-Laws."

Comparison to Better Films:

There’s a rich history of clever, hard-edged comedies like "The In-Laws," "Midnight Run," "The Freshman," "Central Intelligence," and "Game Night." Unfortunately, "The Out-Laws" doesn't come close to these films. Even the worst moments in those movies are better than the best parts of "The Out-Laws."

Conclusion:

Overall, "The Out-Laws" is a disappointing attempt at comedy. It feels like a series of poorly connected sketches rather than a cohesive film. Instead of wasting time on this movie, you'd be better off watching a genuinely funny classic like "The In-Laws."

Now playing on Netflix.