Directed by Seth Gordon.

Nick (Jason Bateman) quite enjoys his work and actually puts in extra hours in the hope of scoring a promised promotion. He feels that the key to success is to “take shit” and his boss (Kevin Spacey) is an evil sadist who dishes this out in copious amounts. Kurt (Jason Sudeikis) enjoys his work and gets along with his boss … until the boss dies suddenly and leaves his coke-head, womanising son (Colin Farrel with an extremely bad comb-over) in charge to destroy the business.

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Dale (Charlie Dale) likes being a dental assistant but his boss (Jennifer Aniston) is an absolute nymphomaniac who torments him continually and resorts to blackmail to get what she wants. Eventually all three of the bosses go too far, but in this economic climate, quitting is not an option.

After using every vulgar word they can think of, the three thirty-something mates get together over a few drinks and decide to get rid of the psycho, the tool and the nympho. Going to a seedy bar with the help of Kurt’s you-beaut navigation system, they seek help from ex-con ‘Mutherfucker’ (Jamie Foxx). Taking the film Strangers on a Train as inspiration, they hatch a foolproof plan to kill each other’s bosses. The trouble is that these three stooges are polar opposites of assassins and they only manage to get themselves into ridiculous situations.

This over the top farce has just a touch of reality. I mean, who hasn’t wanted, at some time, to be rid of an onerous boss? The dialogue is crude, rude and vulgar and is not for the faint-hearted. It is full of marginal jokes about sex offenders, being raped in gaol and men seeking men who specialise in “wet work”. And, despite my better judgement, I haven’t laughed so much for quite a while.

Lezly Herbert

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