The Out-Laws isn’t like Family comedies like My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Crazy Rich Asians have set a high bar with their flawless charm when it comes to portraying the nerve-wracking experience of meeting one’s in-laws. However, despite the efforts of many studios to revive this classic comedy genre, few films have managed to stand out on their own.
Even with star-studded casts, many movies fall short in delivering the memorable one-liners and slapstick humor that define this genre. Netflix’s latest action-comedy, The Out- Laws, starring Adam DeVine, Pierce Brosnan, Ellen Barkin, and Nina Dobrev, suffers from formulaic tropes and predictable writing that fail to bring anything significant to the table. The film has a talented ensemble, including Poorna Jagannathan, Michael Rooker, Richard Kind, Julie Hagerty, and Lil Rel Howery, which initially promises a lot.
With all the ingredients of a thrilling summer comedy, The Out-Laws attempts to put a unique twist on Meet the Parents. However, in its eagerness to be different, the film loses sight of its humor and becomes overly involved in its own attempts, resulting in a lack of memorable details. The movie takes sudden and extreme turns, often without a natural connection to the absurd yet grounded reality it aims to portray.
The Out-Laws falls short in delivering a well-rounded and memorable film
Directed by Tyler Spindel, The Out-Laws follows Owen Browning (played by Adam DeVine), a straight-laced bank manager who is about to marry his girlfriend Parker (Nina Dobrev). However, there’s a major red flag: Owen has never met Parker’s parents. The film takes a sitcom-like approach as Owen’s parents (played by Richard Kind and Julie Hagerty) encourage him to reach out to Parker’s parents. Things take a drastic turn when Owen accidentally contacts a storage locker facility and Parker’s parents, Billy (Pierce Brosnan) and Lilly (Ellen Barkin), unexpectedly show up.
During a drunken moment in The Out-Laws, Owen unwittingly reveals secrets about his bank, leading to a robbery orchestrated by masked gunmen believed to be the notorious Ghost Bandits. Owen becomes suspicious that Billy and Lilly may be involved and works to prove it. However, Parker is kidnapped along the way, forcing Owen to team up with her parents in a questionable crime spree to save her.
The Out-Laws features a talented cast who give it their all, but unfortunately, the film places too much demand on them, resulting in a lopsided action-comedy with a weak and uneven storyline. Despite this, the cast manages to shine through. Adam DeVine, known for his role in The Righteous Gemstones, delivers his signature hilarious performance and boyish charm, almost salvaging the film despite the script’s shortcomings. DeVine’s chemistry with the rest of the cast, particularly Pierce Brosnan and Ellen Barkin, works well and contributes to the film’s enjoyable moments throughout its 90-minute runtime.
Missed Opportunities and Stereotypical Depictions of Women in The Out-Laws
Both Pierce Brosnan and Ellen Barkin deliver strong performances in The Out-Laws, showcasing their talent for sly, deadpan delivery that complements Adam DeVine’s stand-up experience. However, it feels like Brosnan’s character receives more growth and understanding compared to Barkin’s, who is often sidelined, similar to Nina Dobrev’s character. While both women are incredible talents outside of this film, The Out-Laws fails to make the most of their abilities. The script’s imbalance, particularly in its portrayal of women, and its omission of crucial elements found in movies like Meet the Parents contribute to this issue.
Brosnan truly shines in The Out-Laws, almost on par with DeVine. As a fan of the comedy genre and someone known for his role as James Bond, Brosnan elevates the writing to the best of his ability. He shares some very funny scenes with Richard Kind, whose comedy background pays off in this film, as he delivers jokes with impeccable timing. Kind’s chemistry with Julie Hagerty adds to the hilarity, creating laugh-out-loud moments throughout their scenes together. Fans of Workaholics will also be pleased to see Blake Anderson, DeVine’s co-star from the show, making an appearance as Owen’s goofy cousin.
Additionally, DeVine’s character has friends at work, including Lil Rel Howery as a bumbling security guard who is far from adept at his job, and Laci Mosley as one of the bank tellers, whose fierce sass puts the two men in their place. Howery and Mosley bring a nice balance to DeVine’s character’s uneasiness and manage to make the most of the material they are given.
Audiences will find Michael Rooker’s portrayal of FBI agent Roger Oldham entertaining as he teams up with Adam DeVine’s character. While his character falls into the clichéd trope of a “divorced detective wanting his wife back,” Rooker manages to bring comedic timing that meshes well with DeVine’s performance. Poorna Jagannathan delivers a great performance as Rehan, the rival of the Ghost Bandits and the kidnapper of Parker. However, her character, like others in the film, suffers from being underdeveloped. Despite Jagannathan’s efforts, Rehan remains one-dimensional, which reflects a broader issue in the film’s writing that reduces female characters to mere caricatures. This can be seen in Rehan’s unidimensional obsession with Billy and her lewd jokes about him.
Similarly, Lauren Lapkus plays a manager of a rival bank who experiences an orgasmic reaction at the opening of a vault she shows Owen. While both Rehan and Lapkus’ character demonstrate strong personalities as successful individuals in their respective careers, their interactions with the male characters portray a sense of discomfort and unease, reducing the comedy to playing on societal expectations placed on women. These moments highlight the film’s reliance on outdated gender norms and perspectives, where female characters are not fully realized or given agency.
The Out-Laws falls into the familiar territory of platitudes often seen in wedding comedies, where Owen’s uptight personality clashes with Billy and Lilly. The script fails to offer anything new in terms of mystery or suspense, relying heavily on well-worn tropes to drive the story. It feels redundant and places Netflix into the realm of straight-to-VOD comedies, where good actors find themselves in mediocre films. While The Out-Laws doesn’t aim to reach the level of classics like Father of the Bride or Meet the Parents, it does have occasional moments of heart, although they are sparse.
Unfortunately, the characters in the film lack significant growth or depth throughout the story. Instead, the film compensates for these shortcomings with filler moments and eccentric situations. For instance, there’s a bakery shootout during a wedding, featuring funny appearances by Betsy Sodaro and Jackie Sandler, as well as an intense and jaw-dropping car chase through a cemetery. The film tries to emulate the exaggerated irreverence found in the style of the Farrelly Brothers, but it only works when paired with DeVine’s sweaty and apologetic anxiety.
Overall, The Out-Laws struggles to stand out due to its reliance on tired tropes and lack of character development, but it occasionally delivers some enjoyable moments with DeVine’s comedic performance.
We would rate “The Out-Laws” a 3, out of 5.
