CHICAGO– Liberty is a concept expressed only in irony with “Moms’ Night Out,” a female-driven minivan comedy that instructs ultimately to listen to thy husband for it is Biblical, even if thy husband is a child himself. Like sad Mitt Romney and his chocolate milk, this PG-romp is a brief walk on the wild side from the rules that await at the end of the night.
 Rating: 1.5/5.0 |
Unfortunately, while taking out the substance abuse of a Judd Apatow or Todd Phillips arc, this shiny film exorcises the substance that comes with a freer perspective of the world. “Moms’ Night Out” diverges into a film that cannot offer its viewers freedom from the the evil spirits that make a world so toxic, as the film itself is so narrow-minded.
The intentions of “Moms’ Night Out” start out innocent enough, with a zippy beginning that provides false promise for focused filmmaking. Its titular event is organized by one overly-stressed self-proclaimed “mommy blogger” Ally (Sarah Drew) who recruits two mom friends Izzy (Logan White), and pastor’s wife Sondra (“Everybody Loves Raymond’s” Patricia Heaton). Experiencing what she calls stress paralysis, and returning to the sanctuary of watching a live feed of baby bald eagles (America!), loving mother (and a mother who loves being a mom) Ally reaches a breaking point where she needs said break. Her often-traveling husband (Sean Astin) then lovingly compares her current situation to a plane crash, advising her per the rules of flight safety, “You need your oxygen mask.”
And so Ally wrangles up these fellow moms, and commits to the Friday night opportunity of dressing nicely and splurging on a local restaurant where the maitre d will encourage patrons to “look at the art.” When Ally’s reservations are proven to actually be for the next week, the night begins to fall apart, aside from having to relocate to a bowling alley. Her husband is injured at a kid’s arcade, the baby of Ally’s half-sister-in-law/young mother Bridget (Abbie Cobb) goes missing, and Sondra even gets cold feet when the bowling alley DJ blasts “Gangnam Style” (America!) when a literal spotlight is placed on her. The moms end up enlisting the help of a tatted-up biker named Bones (played by Trace Adkins), while their husbands make things even more complicated.
Continue reading for Nick Allen’s full review of “Moms’ Night Out”
Logan White, Sarah Drew, Patricia Heaton, and Abbie Cobb as the moms of ‘Moms’ Night Out’
Photo credit: TriStar Pictures
Continue reading for Nick Allen’s full review of “Moms’ Night Out”
