Office Christmas Party (2016) - Film Review - Movie Date

I fancied a trip to the cinema today so a quick look at our favourite venue to find an early showing of ‘Office Christmas Party’. I have seen a few reviews some good, some bad but that means little to me as I have a mind of my own.

A company Zenotek have hit hard times and Jennifer Aniston, Carol Vanstone, and the uptight CEO of the family company threatens to lay off forty percent of the staff, cut bonuses, and cancel the annual Christmas party. She as daddy issues from her late departed father mainly the fact she had to work her ass off. Her brother on the other hand Clay, T. J. Miller, was daddies golden child and with revenge in mind wants to shut down her bothers branch of the business.

Clay as other ideas and with his tech officer Josh (Jason Bateman) pour all of Zenotek's remaining money into the office party. His intentions are to woo an important client hoping this last-ditch effort to rally morale will work and save the New York operation. Kate McKinnon brings her weird comic rhythms as Mary, Zenotek's prim HR director in charge of the “non-denominational holiday mixer”. Olivia Munn is the hottie whose ideas just might save Zenotek after all.

That's all you need to know for a comedy like this, and the movie clearly wants to bring back the simple, anarchic fun of old National Lampoon movies but there is no Griswold feeling to the movie. The film is a bit of a slow burn until the party and the template hasn't really changed from Animal House the jokes have just gotten dirtier. Zenotek's bleary debauchery includes the now famous photocopier. Old school now has someone suggests the 3-D-printer.

It is all sex, drugs, after that, and most of the individual scenes land well enough to keep the momentum going. One office-romance subplot goes sideways when the guy reveals his weird fetish too soon. (“Save that shit for the fourth date, like a regular person!”) Everything clicks up a notch when some cocaine is accidentally dumped into the snow machine and pumped into the air.

Carol's flight is cancelled due to weather, and when she discovers the party is happening in a conversation with her driver after she took people to the party, she rushes back to the office. Initially she is impressed that Clay had won Walter's business, Walter injures himself attempting to swing off a balcony and it is revelled he has been fired from his firm, no longer bringing in any new money to Zenotek.

Moreover, Jason Bateman proves once again that he is the greatest straight man in comedy.

I liked it and so did the wife with her chuckling away but no belly laughter in the auditorium. With the cameramen fascination with Jennifer Aniston cleavage, I still wanted more partying at the Christmas do.