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Office Christmas Party

Your party may have been even sillier than this one.

Office Christmas Party

Grade: B-

Directors: Josh Gordon (Blades of Glory), Will Speck (The Switch)

Screenplay: Justin Malen, Laura Solon

Cast: Jennifer Anniston (Horrible Bosses), Jason Bateman (Juno)

Rating: R

Runtime: 105 min.

by John DeSando

“What I don’t like about office Christmas parties is looking for a job the next day.” Phyllis Diller

Although not all Christmas parties are a total disaster, the one in Office Christmas Party is only less so, with a destroyed office complex and a few relationships favorably grown. The film is goofy some of the time—we need to see a bare butt on the Xerox machine once, not several times—and rather touching at another—fighting brother and sister corporate heads come to understand each other’s strengths.

The survival of the tech company managed by Josh (Jason Bateman) depends on the finesse of branch owner, Clay (T.J. Miller), and the good will of his sister and acting CEO, Carol (Jennifer Aniston). Needless to say, the formula for the screwball comedy calls for disaster before redemption, and this party is no different.

The first part before the party has some witty repartee, especially between Josh and his office mate and underling, Tracey (Olivia Munn). Include in the slightly witty category is Kate McKinnon’s uptight HR head, Mary. What happens eventually to all the partiers you can easily guess, but along the way are some humor and some tender moments.

After the silly shenanigans and sentimental chapters, Office Christmas Party emphasizes the collaborative and caring atmosphere necessary for any corporation to thrive.

“The office Christmas Party is a great way to catch up with people you haven’t seen for 30 minutes.” Popular Saying

John DeSando, a Los Angeles Press Club first-place winner for National Entertainment Journalism, hosts WCBE’s It’s Movie Time and co-hosts Cinema Classics. Contact him at JDeSando@Columbus.rr.com

John DeSando holds a BA from Georgetown University and a Ph.D. in English from The University of Arizona. He served several universities as a professor, dean, and academic vice president. He has been producing and broadcasting as a film critic on It’s Movie Time and Cinema Classics for more than two decades. DeSando received the Los Angeles Press Club's first-place honors for national entertainment journalism.