Search Party Review

Convinced that his buddy Nardo (Thomas Middleditch) is making the mistake of a lifetime by marrying Tracy (Shannon Woodward), Jason (T.J. Miller) puts a dramatic end to their wedding. When the furious bride decides to take her Baja honeymoon solo, Nardo follows her-where the lovesick groom is carjacked and left stranded, naked and penniless in a remote part of the Mexican desert. Helpless, Nardo sends out an SOS to Jason and their pal Evan (Adam Pally), an up-and-coming ad exec slated for an important business meeting the next morning. During their ridiculous attempt to rescue Nardo, the trio embarks on a series of increasingly outrageous misadventures involving con artists, drug smugglers and even the Federales.

Search Party is a film that you have seen before but it still brings in a couple of laughs. What makes Search Party work is the characters of Nardo, Jason and Evan and their relationship. These three friends are all entering different phases in their lives. Nardo is on the verge of getting married to the love of his life. Evan is progressing in his career and about to get a promotion. Then there is Jason who well is doing really nothing with his life and hasn’t grown up. All Jason does is keep meddling in the affairs of his bros and smoke weed half the time. The story is the typical friends growing up but one still hasn’t adventure story. However while the film does hit some cliché notes it does have a few laughs and situations to keep you entertained. For example the first 20 minutes at Nardo wedding is pure laughs from the song being song to Jason’s outlandish violation of bro code. That code being what is said with the bros stays with the bros. Once Jason ruins Nardo wedding with his antics the adventure beings for the three characters. This is where the film gets outrageous but still keeps it humor intact. Three situations happens to our characters that they will have to overcome. Nardo is on the quest to win back Tracy but unfortunately he is robbed naked (literally) in Mexico. Evan has a girl he wants to ask out but can’t put the words together and he is forced to save Nardo with a promotion interview. Jason will have to accept the fact that life changes and he has to grow up. The focus on the three characters is what makes the film works. The chemistry between all three leads is great and you can see the brotherly love between them. The jokes are a hit or miss depending on what type of humor you like. If you like raunchy, in your face with a little bit of slapstick on top this might be for you. The film also features a nice cameo from Jessica Jones star Kristen Ritter who delivers a funny scene involving Evan. Another mention and I think the show stealer is J.B. Smoove as the drug dealer Berk. He’s a very unique drug dealer from appearance to his mannerism and the way he conducts business. He shares most of the screen time with Nardo and they share some of the best scenes in the movie.

Overall the story is fun and the acting is great but the film has too many clichés that you can see coming a mile away. TJ Miller plays great as always being an asshole that you can’t help but love. If you up for a few laughs and have some time to kill give this film a viewing.

3.5 out of 5 Stars.