Movie · 2010 · Comedy, Drama · 1h 35m · R · English
Curator score: 1.5/10 (569.8K ratings)
Leave your comfort zone.
Overview
Peter Highman must scramble across the US in five days to be present for the birth of his first child. He gets off to a bad start when his wallet and luggage are stolen, and put on the 'no-fly' list. Peter embarks on a terrifying journey when he accepts a ride from an actor.
Ratings
Curator score: 1.5/10
IMDb: 6.5/10
Letterboxd: 2.91/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 39%
Metacritic: 51
TMDB: 6.4/10
Director
Todd Phillips
Production
Legendary Pictures, Green Hat Films, Warner Bros. Pictures
Cast
Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis, Michelle Monaghan, Jamie Foxx, Juliette Lewis, Danny McBride, RZA, Matt Walsh, Brody Stevens, Jakob Ulrich, Naiia Ulrich, Todd Phillips, Bobby Tisdale, Sharon Conley, Nathalie Fay, Emily Wagner, Steven M. Gagnon, Paul Renteria, Marco Rodríguez, Mimi Kennedy
Curator Review
Verdict
A broad, raunchy road comedy with a strong central odd-couple pairing: Robert Downey Jr. plays the tightly wound straight man while Zach Galifianakis leans into chaos. It has enough big laughs and chemistry to work in stretches, but the comedy is uneven, the character behavior can feel abrasive, and the film often overplays its hand.
Best for
Viewers who like crude, high-energy road comedies
Fans of mismatched buddy dynamics
People who enjoyed Planes, Trains and Automobiles-style travel disasters with a meaner edge
Anyone curious to see Robert Downey Jr. in a lighter comic mode
Skip if
You dislike raunchy humor and humiliation comedy
You want consistently sharp writing rather than hit-or-miss set pieces
A selfish or unlikable protagonist kills the movie for you
You prefer warm, character-driven comedies over chaotic studio farce
Overview
Due Date is basically a hangover-era road movie built around friction: one man is desperate, controlled, and furious; the other is a human derailment. That contrast gives the film its best material, and the pairing of Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis is the reason it still plays at all. When the movie trusts that chemistry, it can be very funny in a blunt, uncomfortable way.
Worth noting
But it is also a movie that keeps pushing for bigger, cruder laughs than it can reliably sustain. The protagonist’s anger can make the whole thing feel mean before it feels amusing, and some of the comedy lands more as noise than escalation. Still, there are enough memorable bits, and enough genuine comic timing from the cast, to make it an easy watch if you’re in the right mood.
Bottom line
If you want a polished comedy, this is not that. If you want a messy, star-driven road trip where the premise and the performances do most of the work, it has enough juice to recommend with reservations.
Top Letterboxd reviews
demi adejuyigbe (2.5★) · 1042 likes
Robert Downey Jr.'s character goes from being way too mean to being way too forgiving.
hayleybell (5★) · 669 likes
dad, you were like a father to me.
Zach Pope (4★) · 565 likes
I wish Robert Downey Jr would do more comedies
Eli Hayes · 411 likes
I'm not sure how to assess this film; all I am certain of is that its main character, Peter, is one of the few protagonists in cinema history with which I am able to empathize a grand total of 0.00%
Diego 🪅 (2★) · 304 likes
"What are you, my fucking boss? You make the hours? I say when we close. l got reservations at Chili's. I'm meeting my boys."
Danny McBride is so funny 😂