Hall Pass, directed by Peter and Bobby Farrelly

Comedy is one of the most difficult genre for a movie maker, the goal being to make the audience laugh and also, to keep its attention on the run. Think about it; how many comedies did manage to make you laugh till tears came to your eyes and breathing became painful? Few, I guess. I also guess that several of them were directed by the Farrelly brothers. Cause these boys are good! 

They have already directed Something about Mary, Kingpin, and one of THE very best movies ever made : Dumb And Dumber. Yeah, it mostly jokes about sex, poo and pee; but that doesn't make these movies stupid. Far from that even, cause besides the joke itself, there is the way you tell it. It's exactly the same about movies and obviously, Hall Pass.

Hall Pass is the story of Rick (Owen Wilson) and Fred (Jason Sudeikis), both around 40's and married. They both have to deal with the same problem: their hunger for sex. Problem is that their wives aren't in the same mood at all. Though, in order to low down their frustration they decide to give them an "Hall Pass": they can do whatever they want during one week, without any consequence on their marriages.

The movie is mainly about two men, who seem to be responsible adults (they are married, landlords, and one of them is a father). Though inside they do feel entrapped by the role society is expecting them to fulfill. For example, when his kids nanny asks him for a date, Rick can't accept because he knows they would end with rejection from the others not accepting it. Later in the movie, Fred masturbating in his car, is caught by the police.

In a very funny way, Farrelly's brothers put the light on a serious problem of our society where sex is tolerated but, still considered as naughty and bad. This frustration is supposed to be erase with the Hall Pass. But when it applies to two men like our heroes who are finally still kids in their heads, a bit affrayed by seducing girls, they spend half of their week it with friends "theorizing" instead of "acting".

Amazingly the evolution of the male characters during the movie is almost nonexistent. In the end they are still with their wives. The last sentence of the movie is pretty clear: nothing changed (well, I don't take in account the closing credits sequence).

On the other hand, women state of mind does change during the movie. While they thought first they were leading their couple because of sex, they realize that they don't and that they need their husband more than anything. This nor feminist nor sexist. During the marriage, the man needs his wife as much as the woman needs her husband.

A great movie, but not as perfect as Dumb and Dumber.

5/6 from me.