The Night Before

Name: The Night Before
Genre: Comedy
Released: November 20, 2015
Duration: 101 min
Rating: 58
Cast: Jillian Bell, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lizzy Caplan, Seth Rogen

2015

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 31 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 139 Ratings

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6.4

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6.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 139 Ratings

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The Night Before

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Movie Details & Credits

Columbia Pictures | Release Date: November 20, 2015 | R

Starring: Jillian Bell, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lizzy Caplan, Seth Rogen

Summary: Ethan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Isaac (Seth Rogen) and Chris (Anthony Mackie) have been friends since childhood, and for a decade, their yearly Christmas Eve reunion has been an annual night of debauchery and hilarity. Now that they’re entering adulthood, the tradition is coming to an end, and to make it as memorable as possible, they set outEthan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Isaac (Seth Rogen) and Chris (Anthony Mackie) have been friends since childhood, and for a decade, their yearly Christmas Eve reunion has been an annual night of debauchery and hilarity. Now that they’re entering adulthood, the tradition is coming to an end, and to make it as memorable as possible, they set out to find the Nutcracka Ball – the Holy Grail of Christmas parties.… Expand

Director: Jonathan Levine

Genre(s): Comedy

Rating: R

Runtime: 101 min

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Critic Reviews

Drew McWeeny

Nov 17, 2015

It may be overstuffed the point of bursting, but there's much to like here. Read full review

The Playlist Russ Fischer

Nov 17, 2015

Always energetic like the wild whoop of a bachelor party, the lights burn brightest when The Night Before indulges in big goofs and kooky tangents. Read full review

Peter Hartlaub

Nov 19, 2015

There’s still plenty of laughs left over for the audience, and the aggressive randomness of the script fuels some genuinely inventive comic moments. Although the writers of this R-rated cinematic binge frequently lose their focus, they never lose their sense of humor. Read full review

The Guardian Jordan Hoffman

Nov 17, 2015

Surprisingly, for a movie this ephemeral, the closing sequences, which consist of flashbacks and confrontations, are actually quite touching. Read full review

Empire Ian Freer

Nov 30, 2015

It doesn’t all land, but The Night Before is largely a salty, sweet jingle ball. Read full review

Richard Roeper

Nov 19, 2015

At times, it’s really funny. More often, it’s “shocking” for the sake of shock value, gross for the sake of being gross, and stupid-goofy without much of a payoff. Read full review

Kyle Smith

Nov 18, 2015

I was searching for a metaphor to capture the experience of watching The Night Before when a character fell backward into a dumpster full of garbage bags. Thanks, guys! Read full review

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User Reviews

SerRickardo

Dec 25, 2021

I love this film, I watch it every Christmas now.

It doesn't take itself too seriously and is a lot of fun to watch.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

FarhanFiroz

Apr 5, 2016

This movie was surprisingly really good. Firstly the performances of this movie was great. There were so many laugh out loud scenes. Sure the movie does not have much substance but what really made me enjoy this movie is the fact that it is about friendship and how it changes when timeThis movie was surprisingly really good. Firstly the performances of this movie was great. There were so many laugh out loud scenes. Sure the movie does not have much substance but what really made me enjoy this movie is the fact that it is about friendship and how it changes when time passes by. There were great cameos in the movie. However, I think the storytelling was out of order and the love story does not sell much.In the end “The Night Before” is a great a Christmas movies to watch with friends.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

tvnewsguido

Nov 20, 2015

Not your typical drug-fueled urban fantasy.

I can't tell if my immense enjoyment of The Night Before comes from a glitch in my SRI meds or if it is actually a great comedy but I laughed all the way through. It's the most consistently funny entry in the Seth Rogen oeuvre in more than aNot your typical drug-fueled urban fantasy.

I can't tell if my immense enjoyment of The Night Before comes from a glitch in my SRI meds or if it is actually a great comedy but I laughed all the way through.

It's the most consistently funny entry in the Seth Rogen oeuvre in more than a few years and is surprisingly mature for the genre. That's not to say it's not loaded with sex, drugs and vomit ( it has all three) but there are layers of genuine emotion that play out as an almost Dickensian holiday fable.

If you're looking for some genuine laughs to offset the horror of your family this holiday season, this movie won't disappoint.… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

jamess

Mar 1, 2016

If anyone can combine A Christmas Carol and weed, it's Seth Rogen and friends. Any movie that features narration by Tracy Morgan (actually says "he axed" at one point) and Michael Shannon as a magical weed dealer can't be all bed.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

FilmPhonic

Jan 5, 2016

By now, most cinemagoers should know what to expect from a Seth Rogen vehicle, lewd comedy with plenty of sexual references and dick jokes, pop-culture references, cringeworthy awkward situations, and drugs, lots and lots of drugs.

So if you’re a fan of the more low-brow elements ofBy now, most cinemagoers should know what to expect from a Seth Rogen vehicle, lewd comedy with plenty of sexual references and dick jokes, pop-culture references, cringeworthy awkward situations, and drugs, lots and lots of drugs.

So if you’re a fan of the more low-brow elements of Rogen-Goldberg comedy, and in this case director Jonathan Levine too, then you’ll enjoy all the madness involved around this sometimes surprisingly touching tale of evolving but eternal friendship, and the “spirit” of Christmas.

But if you’re not a fan, or are easily shocked and offended, then there’s probably no need to read on and you should avoid ‘The Night Before’ like the plague.

Seth Rogen and his ’50/50′ co-star Joseph Gordon-Levitt star alongside Anthony Mackie as three friends who are being pulled apart by careers and family lives, and who are brought closer together by drug-induced Christmas “miracles”, as well as several other theme-appropriate Dickensian constructs like psychedelic mushroom visions of Christmases past.

‘The Night Before’ is every inch the unconventional Christmas comedy, complete with touching moments in a morality tale with a happy ending, but it’s also clearly an outrageous and silly irreverent comedy with a fully crammed narrative that’s all over the place.

Let’s be honest here, ‘The Night Before’ is no comedy classic, it’s not even one of the better Rogen-Goldberg collaborations. But considering their controversial and hugely disappointing previous collaboration in ‘The Interview’, this is certainly not the worst and has more than enough genuine hard belly-laugh humour to be better than most Christmas comedies you’re likely to see anytime soon.

The Bottom Line…
Littered with irreverent lewd comedy and drug references, ‘The Night Before’ is unapologetic low-brow Christmas comedy that won’t be to everyone’s taste, but with an outrageous & creative capturing of Dickensian literature and some legit side-splitting humour, it’s surprisingly enjoyable escapism and a good way to spend a couple of mindless holiday hours.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

KelvinSelimor

Dec 16, 2021

The Night Before. What the latest Christmas tradition leads to. A well-filmed, but completely empty Christmas comedy of jokes in which 2-3 things constantly revolve.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Branagun

Dec 25, 2016

Do you find refrences to pop culture funny? If so you will love this movie. Ha ha. Set Rogen is on drugs. That's so funny. Lots of swearing and a general essence of obnoxiousness. Ha ha. A real festive treat.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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