Cheerless: Review of Office Christmas Party by Rashid Irani

Not even Aniston can inject enough fun into this piece of yuletide tomfoolery.

OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY

The layabout brother of a CEO gets his branch of the company to organise a big bash to try and lure a big customer. It makes no sense, and it’s not even fun to watch.

Direction: Will Speck and Josh Gordon

Actors: Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman

Rating: 1 / 5

This cheerless piece of yuletide tomfoolery wastes the talents of its gifted comedic cast, top-lined by Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman.

She plays the head of an IT company who is considering shutting down the over-staffed Chicago branch managed by her brother (TJ Miller).

In a desperate attempt to stay in business, the slacker sibling enlists the help of his colleague-cum-confidant (Bateman). They decide to rally their colleagues and put together a no-holds-barred bash, to which they invite a big potential client (Courtney B Vance). They apparently hope to so impress him with their shindig that he will sign a multi-million-dollar contract and revive the branch’s fortunes. I know; it’s about as credible as it sounds.

The film is a mess of sloppy script, flat characters and hackneyed contrivances. (Photo Credit: Glen Wilson)

This film is a mess of sloppy script, flat characters and hackneyed contrivances.

Olivia Munn adds some class to the proceedings in her role of a lovelorn techie, but Aniston is uncharacteristically bland while Miller and Bateman strive in vain to tap into their inner hedonists.

Even considering that OCP is clearly targeted at adolescents, this is one office party that is just disappointing.

You can watch the trailer for Office Christmas Party here