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Office Christmas Party Review

The guys behind Blades of Glory and The Switch, Josh Gordon and Will Speck, get festive with an office Christmas party featuring lots of familiar faces—Jason Bateman, Jennifer Aniston, Olivia Munn, T.J. Miller, Kate McKinnon, Rob Corddry—that gets wild and wacky. The moldy plot revolves around a failing Chicago tech firm, headed by Miller’s man-child Clay Vanstone, under the threat of closure by Vanstone’s wicked sister and company CEO Carol (Aniston). Meanwhile, Bateman makes everything more appealing with his sardonic charm as the voice-of-reason CTO. 

Some gags are funnier than others, but the comedy entertains pretty thoroughly, even if the party lasts too long. McKinnon really gets to shine, which is rewarding, as she felt slightly tame in what should have been a star-making turn in the new Ghostbusters. Her “SNL” costar Vanessa Bayer steals her share of scenes, as well. And it is not fair that Sam Richardson, a “Veep” MVP, is still so far away from bigger, more memorable roles. Though more generically plotted, Office Christmas Party will make a swell winter nightcap which to imbibe alongside last year’s The Night Before.

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