Greetings Treat-A-Weekers!

Boy, am I behind the ball and do I owe you some treats! Here is a quick one – you know how sometimes you just want something mindless and funny to watch to get your mind off of anything and everything stressful? Well, my hubby and I watched Game Night last weekend and it was one hour and forty minutes of pure fun, preposterous scenarios, laughs and reasonable suspense. A warning, it is rated R and while there is no nudity, the language is terrible in spots, but that shouldn’t be a surprise since it was directed by the same team that co-wrote Horrible Bosses.

Game Night centers around a cute married suburban couple Max and Annie, played by Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams, whose love for winning games/competitiveness is matched only by their love for each other. Every week they meet up with two other couples for board game night at their place, but when Max’s charming successful older brother Brooks (played by Kyle Chandler — one of my all-time favorite actors from his days playing Coach Eric Taylor on Friday Night Lights), comes to town for a visit and asks to host game night at his fabulous pad, things go topsy turvy. Why? Because instead of the usual board game play the crew is used to, big brother Brooks, always trying to one up his younger brother, has planned a surprise reality mystery game night with a kidnapping that goes awry. The true treats of this movie, besides some zany plot twists and hilarious dialogue are the characters — Max and Annie are engaging winning and flawed at the same time; their perpetually single bachelor friend Ryan and his smart, British co-worker/date Sarah’s interaction is great fun, and another Friday Night Lights alum, Jesse Plemons, who plays Max and Annie’s creepy, depressed neighbor Gary who is no longer invited to Game Night since he separated with his wife but desperately wants back in truly steals the show.

If you have some down time during the holidays and little ears aren’t around, this a fun movie to watch. If you are celebrating Christmas or even just a few days away from work or quality time with family, here’s hoping that your holidays are special and that you have some time to relax, unwind and enjoy some treats!

Until next time, friends, I remain very truly yours,

M