“The Night Before” is the latest stoner-comedy from notorious funny guy, Seth Rogen. Along with an all star cast, Rogen navigates a path he has yet to truly master — poignant storytelling.
Directed by Jonathan Levine, mastermind behind the 2013 zombie film “Warm Bodies,” this witty comedy will do more than just make you crack up.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays protagonist Ethan, who lost both of his parents when he was in his early 20s. Because it happened on the night before Christmas, his raunchy friends (Rogen and Anthony Mackie) create a tradition of going out on that night every year.
Fourteen years pass, and as the crew grows older and new responsibilities weigh heavily on their shoulders, they decide that this Christmas Eve will be their last night of childish debauchery.
Narrated by Tracy Morgan’s Santa Claus, we see the gang navigate the mysterious “Nutcracker Ball” and of course, take as many illegal drugs as possible.
Highlights include Rogen snorting far too much cocaine in order to survive midnight mass with his wife’s family and a drunken fistfight with several inebriated Santas.
“The Night Before” takes rated-R Christmas comedy to another level. Blending heartfelt moments with insanely laughable situations, this film puts a lot of Rogen’s other works to shame.
Audiences get to see his vulgarity and drug-fueled antics inevitably help Gordon-Levitt with a crisis.
Surprisingly tender, this film works on multiple levels: it supplies enough laughs in the beginning to counteract the sincere sniffles that are sure to follow in the end. Fans of Rogen’s previous comedies will certainly be pleased, but “The Night Before” is more than just slapstick humor — it’s a true testament to the power of friendship and growing up.