Review of Rough Night (2017) by Trevor K — 10 Jun 2018

Rough Night gets two stars for the two-pronged welcome of its cast--they are all, to a woman, charismatic and talented. However, the structure of the film is disjointed, makes overly obvious gender reversals of the genre, and in some ways is morally abominable.

Mixing a vintage brew of Weekend at Bernies with The Hangover is more oppressive than liberating as it relies on stereotypical male tropes; it is more toxic than refreshing as it reveals exploitation of men as weak, stupid, or violent, and it simultaneously exploits the current sociopolitical climate by having women act as maniacs---if its gender roles were inverted, this film would be rightly decried as gratuitous.

What, exactly, is liberating about nostalgia for sorority mentality, infused with cocaine binges and vomit-inducing drunkenness? There are admittedly two or three scenes that induce laughs, solely because of the ebullience and raw appeal of the female cast.

Other than that, the film's title is an apt descriptor for its watching experience.