''Date Night'' is a 2010 American

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typic ...

crime film Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combin ...

directed by Shawn Levy and written by

Josh Klausner Josh Klausner is an American screenwriter. He wrote ''Date Night'' (2010) and ''Shrek Forever After'' (2010). Biography Early life Josh Klausner graduated from Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey. Career He started his career in the ...

. Starring Steve Carell,

Tina Fey Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey (; born May 18, 1970) is an American actress, comedian, writer, producer, and playwright. She is best known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' (1997–2006) and for creating the ...

Taraji P. Henson Taraji Penda Henson ( ; born September 11, 1970) is an American actress. She studied acting at Howard University and began her Hollywood career in guest roles on several television shows before making her breakthrough in '' Baby Boy'' (2001). Sh ...

Common Common may refer to: Places * Common, a townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland * Boston Common, a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts * Cambridge Common, common land area in Cambridge, Massachusetts * Clapham Common, originally ...

, and

Mark Wahlberg Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg (born June 5, 1971), former stage name Marky Mark, is an American actor, businessman, and former rapper. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Mark Wahlberg, multiple accolades, including a B ...

, the film tells the story of a case of mistaken identity in New York City, which turns a bored married couple's attempt at a glamorous and romantic evening into something more thrilling and dangerous. ''Date Night'' premiered in New York City on April 6, 2010, and was released theatrically on April 9, 2010, by

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Disn ...

. It grossed $152.3 million against a $55 million budget.

Plot

Phil and Claire Foster are a married couple from

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...

with two children, Ollie and Charlotte, and whose domestic life has become boring and routine. Their sex life is perfunctory and demystified. Phil is a tax lawyer while Claire is a

realtor A real estate agent or real estate broker is a person who represents sellers or buyers of real estate or real property. While a broker may work independently, an agent usually works under a licensed broker to represent clients. Brokers and agen ...

. They are motivated to reignite their romance after learning that their best friends, Brad and Haley, are planning to divorce to escape the married-life routine and to have more excitement in their lives. To avoid the routine that had become their weekly "date night", Phil decides that he will take Claire to a trendy

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

restaurant, but they cannot get a table. Phil steals a reservation from a no-show couple, the Tripplehorns, despite Claire's misgivings. While eating, they are approached by two men, Collins and Armstrong, who question them about a flash drive they believe Phil and Claire stole from mobster boss Joe Miletto. Phil and Claire explain that they are not the Tripplehorns, but the men do not believe them and threaten them at gunpoint. Not seeing any other way out, Phil lies and tells them it is in a boathouse in

Central Park Central Park is an urban park in New York City located between the Upper West and Upper East Sides of Manhattan. It is the fifth-largest park in the city, covering . It is the most visited urban park in the United States, with an estimated ...

. At the boathouse, Claire pretends to search and while Collins and Armstrong's backs are turned, Phil hits them with a paddle and escapes with Claire in a boat. At a police station, Phil and Claire talk with Detective Arroyo, but discover Collins and Armstrong are also detectives, presumably on Miletto's payroll. Realizing they cannot trust the police, they decide to find the real Tripplehorns. They return to the restaurant and find the cellphone number of the Tripplehorns. Claire remembers a former client, Holbrooke Grant, a security expert and

James Bond The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors hav ...

-like action hero. At his apartment, Grant traces the cellphone signal to an apartment owned by Thomas Felton. Collins and Armstrong arrive, but Phil and Claire escape in Grant's Audi R8. They arrive at Felton's apartment and break in. They question Felton, nicknamed "Taste", and his wife "Whippit" about the flash drive and Joe Miletto. It turns out that they went to the restaurant, but left when they spotted Collins. Realizing they are in danger, the couple give the flash drive to Phil and flee. When Phil and Claire get back in the Audi, Armstrong and Collins shoot at them. Phil and Claire crash the Audi into a Ford Crown Victoria

taxicab A taxi, also known as a taxicab or simply a cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choi ...

, resulting in the cars being attached at the bumpers. Phil and the cab driver decide to drive off to get away. Phil climbs into the Ford to navigate while Claire navigates the Audi. Phil inserts the flash drive into the driver's

Amazon Kindle Amazon Kindle is a series of e-readers designed and marketed by Amazon. Amazon Kindle devices enable users to browse, buy, download, and read e-books, newspapers, magazines and other digital media via wireless networking to the Kindle Store. ...

and finds pictures of district attorney Frank Crenshaw with prostitutes. After evading Collins and Armstrong, they are eventually hit and are separated by an SUV. The cab falls into the river; Phil and the driver escape, but without the flash drive. On the subway, Phil determines that Felton obtained the flash drive to blackmail Crenshaw. They return to Grant's apartment, and Grant is reluctant to help after becoming exhausted by their incompetence, but Phil begs and he agrees. Phil and Claire go to an illegal

strip club A strip club is a venue where strippers provide adult entertainment, predominantly in the form of striptease or other erotic or exotic dances. Strip clubs typically adopt a nightclub or bar style, and can also adopt a theatre or cabaret-style ...

that Crenshaw frequents, with Claire under the guise of a new prostitute and Phil as her

pimp Procuring or pandering is the facilitation or provision of a prostitute or other sex worker in the arrangement of a sex act with a customer. A procurer, colloquially called a pimp (if male) or a madam (if female, though the term pimp has still ...

. After performing a pole dance for Crenshaw, they confront him and tell him they are the Tripplehorns. Collins and Armstrong come in and hold them at gunpoint and take them up to the roof with Crenshaw. Miletto arrives with henchmen and it is revealed that Crenshaw has been paid by Miletto to keep him out of jail. When Phil mentions the photos, an argument escalates between the mobsters and Crenshaw, Collins and Armstrong talk. Phil asks Claire to count to three (her typical method of calming their children). When she does, a helicopter appears and Arroyo and the SWAT team arrest Miletto, Crenshaw, and everyone else, as well as Collins and Armstrong. Arroyo reveals to Claire that she was notified by Grant, who supplied Phil with a wire. After being declared heroes, Phil and Claire enjoy breakfast at a diner, where Phil admits he would marry Claire and have their kids all over again if given the chance. When they return home, they engage in enthusiastic kissing on their front lawn before lying on their backs and watching the sky.

Cast

Production

Filming began in mid-April 2009.

Soundtrack

Confirmed songs for the soundtrack are listed below: * " Blitzkrieg Bop" by

The Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United St ...

* " Burn It to the Ground" by Nickelback * "Love Gun" by Cee-Lo Green featuring Lauren Bennett * "

Heartbreak Warfare "Heartbreak Warfare" is a song by American singer-songwriter John Mayer, featured on his fourth studio album, ''Battle Studies'' (2009). Written by Mayer and produced by Mayer and drummer Steve Jordan, the song is the opening track on the album, ...

" by

John Mayer John Clayton Mayer ( ; born October 16, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Born and raised in Fairfield County, Connecticut, Mayer attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, but left and moved to Atlanta in 1997 wit ...

* "

Cobrastyle "Cobrastyle" is a song performed by Swedish band Teddybears, featuring Jamaican singer Mad Cobra. The song was released on their 2004 album ''Fresh'', and reissued on their 2006 album '' Soft Machine''. It was released as a single on 6 June 2006 ...

" by Teddybears featuring Mad Cobra * "Why Me" by Margie Balter * "Date Night Blues" by

The Rave-Ups The Rave-Ups are an American rock group founded in 1979 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who gained greater attention after relocating to Los Angeles, California. They are best known for their alternative rock hit songs "Respectfully King of Rain" an ...

* "French Connection" by Solar Budd * "I'll Never Dream" by Kaskade * "Moving On" by Morgan Page * "Fresh Groove" by Muddy Funksters * "I Want'a Do Something Freaky to You" by Leon Haywood * "Sex Slave Ship" by Flying Lotus * "God Created Woman" by A. B. O'Neill * "

Elephant Elephants are the largest existing land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantida ...

" by Spiral System * "Production" by Lemonworks * "Something Bigger, Something Better" by Amanda Blank * "Stone" by Terry Lynn * "

(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" is an R&B song written by Gary Jackson, Raynard Miner, and Carl Smith. It was recorded by Jackie Wilson for his album '' Higher and Higher'' (1967), produced by Carl Davis, and became a Top 10 ...

" by

Jackie Wilson Jack Leroy Wilson Jr. (June 9, 1934 – January 21, 1984) was an American singer and performer of the 1950s and 60s. He was a prominent figure in the transition of rhythm and blues into soul. Nicknamed "Mr. Excitement", he was considered a mas ...

Reception

Critical response

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wan ...

, a

review aggregator A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...

, the film has an approval rating of 66% based on 231 reviews and an average rating of 6.10/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "An uneasy blend of action and comedy, ''Date Night'' doesn't quite live up to the talents of its two leads, but Steve Carell and Tina Fey still manage to shine through most of the movie's flaws." On

Metacritic Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...

, the film has a score of 56 out of 100 based on 37 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by

CinemaScore CinemaScore is a market research firm based in Las Vegas. It surveys film audiences to rate their viewing experiences with letter grades, reports the results, and forecasts box office receipts based on the data. Background Ed Mintz founded Ci ...

gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale.

Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...

gave the film three and a half stars, saying "If you don't start out liking the Fosters and hoping they have a really nice date night, not much else is going to work." Jim Vejvoda of IGN gave the movie 3 out of 5 stars saying "Date Night suggests a lot of comedic possibilities (Wahlberg's character being just one of them, and the Fosters' escape from the police station being another example) but it never quite capitalizes on all of these set-ups. Despite these shortcomings, the film still manages to be a lot of fun".

Box office

On its opening weekend,

reported that ''Date Night'' grossed $27.1 million, about $200,000 more than Warner Bros. reported for '' Clash of the Titans''. In a recount, ''Clash of the Titans'' retained the number-one spot for a second-straight weekend with $26.6 million. ''Date Night'' debuted at number two with $25.2 million, nearly $2 million less than Fox had reported a day earlier. The film went on to gross $98.7 million in the United States and Canada and $53.6 million in other countries totaling a worldwide gross of $152.3 million.

Awards and nominations

The film won the Teen Choice Award for Movie Comedy and Fey won the Teen Choice Award for Movie Actress: Comedy.

Home media

''Date Night'' was released on DVD and

Blu-ray The Blu-ray Disc (BD), often known simply as Blu-ray, is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released on June 20, 2006 worldwide. It is designed to supersede the DVD format, and capable of st ...

on August 10, 2010.Date Night – DVD Sales
The Numbers The DVD includes both the theatrical (88 minutes) and extended (101 minutes) versions of the film, alternate scenes, two featurettes, public service announcements, and a gag reel.

References

External links

* * * * * {{Teen Choice Award Choice Movie Comedy 2010 films 2010 crime films 2010 romantic comedy films 2010s chase films 2010s crime comedy films 2010s English-language films 2010s screwball comedy films 20th Century Fox films Regency Enterprises films 21 Laps Entertainment films American chase films American crime comedy films American romantic comedy films American screwball comedy films Dune Entertainment films Films about couples Films directed by Shawn Levy Films scored by Christophe Beck Films set in New Jersey Films set in New York City Films shot in Los Angeles Films shot in New York City Films with screenplays by Josh Klausner Romantic crime films 2010s American films