An Awkward “Date Nite”

Have you ever gone to a movie with someone for the first time and you’re not sure of her taste? It seems that whenever I’m in that situation, there is a moment in the movie that is irreverent, sacrilegious or clearly inappropriate. The moment is always charged with a wonder of how she will react and whether or not my reaction will match hers.

The movie “Date Nite” is one of those films and the inappropriate moment is the infamous pole dance scene. This is a scene were two conservatives watching the film would typically be appalled due to the innuendo and senatorial narcissism, unless they are just out to have a good time and find the moment so stupid that it’s funny. I laughed.

Now before you judge me, please take a moment to understand why I laughed. The film is a parody in the vein of “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” or “True Lies.” It is filled with over-the-top humor that Steve Carell and Tina Fey are known for.

Most people recall the Sarah Palin parody that put Tina Fey on the map. While some conservatives found it atrocious, most didn’t have a problem laughing at the extremes displayed in the parody – after all, it was extremes, not reality.

Americans have always been good natured and willing to laugh at themselves. This cultural phenomenon is unique to the United States and even keynote speakers of the highest caliber find humor in self-deprecation.

Director Shawn Levy is also known for this type of silly over-the-top humor with his films “Night at the Museum,” “The Pink Panther,” and “Big Fat Liar.” Anyone purposely going to a Levy, Carell, and Fey film would expect nothing less.

What made that moment funny for me was knowing that the actors had no clue how to pole dance and the director took advantage of it by having them improvise the scene. Have you ever watched a person do something totally out of their comfort zone and make a total fool of themselves, all while trying to appear cool and in the know?

You know the type of humor, the kind that wouldn’t be funny due to circumstances, but is funny because of the situation surrounding it. It reminded me of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” when Indie had a big guy with two swinging machetes coming after him and he had no idea how to win the fight. Then the light bulb went on. He nonchalantly pulled out a revolver and shot the guy. It was an improvisational moment due to Harrison Ford’s fever and his desire to quickly get back to bed. The unexpectedness of the situation made it funny.

Or, how about the time my dad fell down the steps and my mom ran to his side, only to find him in a mangled position that looked like a pretzel. She cracked up laughing. While no one in their right mind would laugh at someone falling down the steps, it is hard to hold back laughter when you come around a corner thinking you’re going to see someone in pain and instead find them in the shape of a pretzel. It’s the situation that’s funny, not the circumstance.

Here’s how the dance pole situation in “Date Nite” transpired. Levy actually rolled cameras and then called out different names of dance moves like the monkey or banana. Carell and Fey, not having a clue what the dances were, interpreted what they thought the dance would look like and immediately improvised its performance. Yes, the crew was cracking up during the shoot.

My suggestion is that if you are offended by innuendo, narcissism or silliness, don’t see the movie. If, however, you can find the humor in parody, silliness and outrageous improvisational moments, then go laugh up a storm. The film is sure to break $100M by the end of the month. While there is little redemptive value in the film, it has numerous moments of situational comedy for those wanting to just kick back and chuckle at the absurd.