To this day, I can’t answer the age-old question that many a moviegoer have faced since last summer: Which is funnier… Robert Downey Jr.’s blackfaced (and Oscar-nominated) portrayal of identity-confused actor Kirk Lazarus in “Tropic Thunder” or Zach Galifianakis’s turn as the childishly reckless Alan in “The Hangover?”
Don’t think too hard about it. This November, the two Hollywood sensations will share the screen in “Due Date,” a road trip comedy featuring Downey Jr., Galifianakis, Jamie Foxx, and Alan Arkin. Todd Phillips (“The Hangover”) is directing the film, which will be the second of at least three movies that Phillips and Galifianakis will make together (as “The Hangover 2” is already in the works).
The film centers on a workaholic expectant father named Peter Highman (Downey Jr.), who is forced to hitch a ride with wannabe actor Ethan Tremblay (Galifianakis) in order to make it to his child’s birth on time.
I know it sounds like Downey Jr. will just accentuate Galifianakis’s typical quixotic-delusion-of-grandeur affability, but in a recent press interview, Downey Jr. described his role as much more integral to the film’s humor (Pretention? Well, you decide for yourselves): >No one is really the straight man in this movie, but I am kind of like this stick that's pounded into the ground, that I think a lot of people can relate to."
Why I’m psyched: I honestly would have never imagined these two actors in the same movie, as each of them occupies a comedic realm that hinges on their own personalities. Downey Jr. charismatically spits out snide quips that charm the audience more than tickle them. Galifianakis, on the other hand, inspires belly laughs as a pudgy bearded eight-year-old living in his own universe. By uniting these comedic styles, perhaps Todd Phillips can cater to those of us who can’t get enough of either type. Granted, Galifianakis tends to be a scene-stealer, but Downey Jr. always maintains such an extraordinary screen presence that he should definitely hold his own.
That’s it for this week. Check back with the Reel Deal next Friday for more movie info. Until then, check out these production photos for “Due Date,” due in theaters (you really didn’t expect me NOT to employ a pun with a title like that, did you?) on November 5, 2010.
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