All Nighter (2017)

Meeting your girlfriend's father is always a nerve-wracking experience, especially when said father is overbearing and you happen to be a rather meek and timid guy.  From the moment you lock eyes you know somewhere deep down inside the evening isn't going to go well and by the end of the evening, you realize you were right. Thankfully, you make it out alive but wonder what it means for the longevity of your relationship with someone you really like. For Martin (Emile Hirsch; Milk) this scenario became reality when he met his girlfriend's, Ginnie (Analeigh Tipton; Crazy, Stupid, Love.), father, Mr. Gallo (J.K. Simmons; The Closer).

Fast forward a year and you are awoken to loud banging on your front door.  You groggily make your way through your messy apartment and open the door to Mr. Gallo.  The shock and confusion registers on your face as he sternly announces he is looking for Ginnie.  You see, he and Ginnie have a strained relationship and apparently, she hadn't mentioned to him that the two of you broke up and she moved out.  You tell him Ginnie's last known address but as you bid him goodbye, he insists you navigate to the new place.

Suddenly, you and the father of your ex-girlfriend (whom you are still secretly pining for) are on a hunt for said person.  She moved out of the last known address but they give you her workplace.  Workplace says she quit but went to work somewhere else.  You go there to find out she has been seen in a while but mentioned the new boyfriend (much to your dismay) who hangs out at some club. 

Now it's getting late and, well you get the idea where this plot is heading…until Mr. Gallo breaks into her new apartment.  You split ways there but can't leave him so you do what you had suggested to Mr. Gallo along which is to call Ginnie's mom to see if she knows where Ginnie is.  Of course, she does and now you fins Mr. Gallo in Ginnie's apartment to tell him she is fine only to be caught by the roommate who calls the police.  You have now bonded with your ex-girlfriend's father.  There is more but I won't give all that away.

J.K. Simmons is perfect as the intimidating father and he plays the part beautifully.  Even in a pink and gold Juicy Couture t-shirt, he exudes a masculine aura that is necessary for the role. Hirsch compliments him well and the two carry the movie nicely with an assist from Jimothy (Jon Daly; The Secret Life of Walter Mitty) and Lizzie (Rebecca Drysdale; Me Him Her).  Director Gavin Wiesen (The Art of Getting By) keeps the film moving along at a steady pace avoiding a tedium that would have derailed the movie.

All Nighter is presented on DVD and digital code only so the audio and video are what you should expect from these formats.  There aren't any extras offered as part of the package which is a little disappointing as I would have enjoyed interviews with the two stars regarding their roles and the time they spent together on set.

The movie is an adventure, albeit awkward, and an enjoyable enough blip in time.  Categorized as a comedy I didn't find too many very laughable moments and frankly, the script is a loss which is unfortunate since J. K. Simmons would have been a terrific vessel for a passionate monolog.  Sadly, he can't save this film from mediocrity.

Grade: C-