Choosing a film from Netflix’s original movie lineup often feels like navigating a minefield. Ninety percent of the time, you’ll likely step on a proverbial mine and regret your choice. One of the most recent “bombs” to surface is the new Netflix hit, “The Out-Laws,” originally released with the unwieldy Czech title “Father-in-law with Mother-in-law are Outlaws.” This film has remained the most-watched on Netflix for two weeks, boasting solid viewership numbers. It seems people enjoy torturing themselves with comedies devoid of actual humor.
The plot might sound intriguing—a blend of romantic comedy and heist drama—but it falls flat. We follow Owen, a diligent bank manager engaged to his fiancée, Parker. As their wedding approaches, unexpected guests arrive: Parker’s parents, who have lived off the grid for years. Shortly after their arrival, Owen’s bank is robbed, leading him to suspect his future in-laws. What follows is a series of absurd—and regretfully unfunny—situations.
Produced by Adam Sandler, “The Out-Laws” mimics Sandler’s style of simple humor and oddball characters. Despite its marketing potential, the film stands out as one of Sandler’s weaker projects. It appears as though not even his loyal friends wanted to join this film, making many of Sandler’s lesser comedies seem Oscar-worthy in comparison.
The movie feels like a poorly executed TV pilot, lacking both humor and effort from its creators. The characters are uninspiring, the script is dull, and any attempt at improvisation falls flat.
The weakest link in the film is its lead, Adam Devine. His brand of humor is more torturous than entertaining, and it’s baffling that he continues to find work in Hollywood. He shouts, screams, and overacts, mistakenly thinking this will make him likable or funny. Pairing him with the charming Nina Dobrev as his love interest only highlights how unbearable his character is. Even Pierce Brosnan, playing the future father-in-law, cannot salvage the film.
Apart from a decent car chase scene through a cemetery, there’s little to redeem “The Out-Laws.” Brosnan tries his best to bring some gravitas to the film, and Dobrev is pleasant to watch, but the script sabotages any effort they make to elevate the movie.
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