You could find worse escapism for the holidays than watching Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Anthony Mackie play overgrown adolescents ready to endure one last monumental Christmas hangover as long as they can have a blast the night before. Thats the movie. And its rowdy fun with a dash of sweetness.
Rogen plays Isaac, a Jewish husband facing the incoming responsibilities of fatherhood. Every Christmas Eve he goes on the town in NYC with his best buds, Chris (Mackie), an NFL star, and Ethan (Gordon-Levitt), a slacker the guys have been taking care of since he lost his parents in a drunk-driving accident as a teenager. Whats the harm for these thirtysomethings in having a final blowout?
Director Jonathan Levine, who wrote the script with Kyle Hunter and Ariel Shaffir, basically provides the setups and lets his actors party as they all converge at the seasons hottest ticket, the Nutcracka Ball. Is that Miley? It is, and theres more surprises. So what if this ramshackle farce doesnt always hit its marks. Its got the spirit. Go with it.