Happy Birthday, Colin Farrell!

Today, we're celebrating the 36th birthday of actor Colin Farrell. A Dublin native, Farrell got his acting start in the mid-1990s, making his first credited appearance in a feature film in 1997's Drinking Crude. It wasn't until the turn of the millennium, however, that he started to gain a little more prominence on the silver screen. With larger roles in 2002's Hart's War opposite Bruce Willis and 2002's Minority Report opposite Tom Cruise, Farrell started to see a lot more screen-time. He's worked consistently throughout the 2000s, appearing in major films such as 2004's Alexander, 2008's In Bruges and 2009's Crazy Heart. Most recently, audiences have seen him in the 2011 films Horrible Bosses and Fright Night. We'll next be able to see his acting endeavors in this summer's remake of Total Recall. And so, to celebrate his birthday and his career, I've listed my five favorite of Farrell's acting performances and have found some clips for your viewing pleasure. I hope you enjoy them. Once again, happy birthday, Colin!

5. Jerry

Fright Night (2011)

*****

4. Syracuse

Ondine (2010)

*****

3. Imaginarium Tony 3

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009)

*****

2. Bobby Pellitt

Horrible Bosses (2011)

*****

1. Ray

In Bruges (2008)

Movie Review: HORRIBLE BOSSES

HORRIBLE BOSSES

2011
R

Horrible Bosses is a 2011 comedy directed by Seth Gordon that centers around three friends' hatred with their superiors at work. Nick (Jason Bateman) works for a large company where he hopes to receive a promotion from his cruel boss Dave Harken (Kevin Spacey). Kurt (Jason Sudeikis) works for a small chemical engineering company that's thrown into disarray when the former owner's son Bobby (Colin Farrell) is put in charge. Dale (Charlie Day) is a newly-engaged man who works for a sexual deviant dentist named Julia (Jennifer Aniston). One night, while the three friends talk over drinks, they run across the idea that their lives would be infinitely better if their bosses were no longer in them. Through that, they stumble upon the plan to murder one another's bosses so as to eliminate their frustration. With the help of a murder consultant named Motherfucker Jones (Jamie Foxx), the three men set into motion a plan that will release them from any motive as they try to kill Dave, Bobby and Julia. As one can imagine, however, things don't necessarily go according to plan.

When I first heard about Horrible Bosses, I can honestly say that I was a tad bit worried about its concept and its overall potential for success. I know that there's been a bit of an upwelling against Jason Bateman in the past couple years, considering that a number of his films haven't necessarily performed exceptionally well. Add to the fact that I wasn't very fond of Jason Sudeikis's performance in Hall Pass, and you can see the reasons behind my doubt. Still, being a fan of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" - and especially of Charlie Day's character on that show - gave me some reason to think that Horrible Bosses could get off the ground. Then I started to see the laundry list of actors who would be featured in the film. It would have been enough to have Kevin Spacey even making a cameo in this one, but when you add the likes of Colin Farrell, Jennifer Aniston and Jamie Foxx, there's sure to be some fantastic performances placed before us on-screen.

I can honestly say that the actors do not disappoint. Charlie Day steals the show - although I had no doubt in my mind that he would - from Bateman and Sudeikis, but even they do enough to make their characters likable and engaging. However, the real meat of the performances has to come from the supporting characters. Spacey is a revelation, as always, and it's great to see him dabbling in a little bit of comedy. His character is downright nasty, and it works perfectly within the film. Farrell had a little less screen-time than I would've liked, but he plays the part of "tool" to perfection. And I honestly can't say enough about Miss Aniston, who brings a performance to the screen unlike any I've ever seen her bring. If you're looking for shock factor, you need not look past her. Add to the fact that we've got some cameos from other recognizable stars, including Donald Sutherland, Lindsay Sloane, John Francis Daley, Ioan Gruffudd, Julie Bowen and Ron White, and you've got quite an impressive cast list. (Oh, and for those of you paying extremely close attention, you'll notice a very brief cameo from Isaiah Mustafa, better known as the "Old Spice guy").

Now, the screenplay also works relatively well, even if it's a little far-fetched at times. The plot gets a little goofy here and there, but when you've got three bumbling fools as your leads, then you're sure to have some wild antics ready and waiting. There are a few twists and turns here and there, but it's nothing wildly out of the ordinary. However, the dialogue - which constitutes a strong portion of a screenplay's effectiveness - is witty and feels rather fresh. Yes, the actors definitely delivered it well, but someone had to write it, right? The dialogue boosts the screenplay all the more.

Is Horrible Bosses one of the best comedies I've ever seen? Well, I wouldn't quite go that far. That being said, however, I'm not quite sure I've laughed this hard during a movie since the original Hangover back in 2009. It's a goofy bit of funny, but there's definitely some genuine laughs to be had throughout the film. I can honestly give this film my recommendation, and I don't think you'll be disappointed by going to see it. Charlie Day alone makes this film worth watching, but the fact that we're given a number of great performances to enjoy makes it all the more hilarious.

Movie Review Summary:

Grade: A-
2 Thumbs Up