For her birthday, one of my gifts to my bride was to see a Chick Flick with her, so we went to see “Date Night.” (Her birthday was probably the only reason I’d have gone to see it, as I’m one of the few people in the world who isn’t really a Steve Carrell fan and one of the few who really felt that Tina Fey did more to smear Sarah Palin’s good intentions than even the liberal news media. But that’s another post.)
That said, what a delightful movie it turned out to be, especially for one main reason: it deals honestly and transparently with the issues surrounding being married with kids, without being negative, cheap or formulaic.
If the typical Chick Flick isn’t for you, you’ll probably be carried along by a story directed by “Night at the Museum’s” Shawn Levy. It goes deep, but not too deep. It moves fast, but not without some meaningful pauses. It’s a farcical comedy, but not without some reflective and honest moments.
And it’s dang funny.

We also saw it with our kids, and I think seeing a movie rendition of a good natured couple fighting and struggling their way through marital discussions and domestic challenges probably encouraged them their parents aren’t the only ones who say the occasional, uh, cross word to each other!
Tina Fey is a comic genius and Steve Carrell shined in this as a cross between Ben Stiller zaniness and Jim Carey serious-moments-by-a-funny-guy. And both are endearing.
I could have done without the frequent, frequent sexual references and innuendo, but hey, it was PG-esque and all good. Further, it would have been nice to see a couple reach out beyond themselves and have a spiritual angle to working out their relationship, but now I know I’m being greedy. It was more than worth it…and I’m sure my wife and girls will enjoy it on DVD!