Hall Pass (2011)

Best friends Rick Mills (Owen Wilson) and Fred Searing (Jason Sedeikis) are given a "hall pass" by their wives – Maggie (Jenny Fischer) and Grace (Christina Applegate), respectively – to have sex with other women for one week, after the wives talk to their psychologist friend, Dr. Lucy (Joy Behar).

So there you go. They have a week off from marriage. At first, Rick's not so sure, while Fred thinks it's the chance of a lifetime. By the way, the way Fred gets his is priceless.

During the first couple of days, they are joined by their friends, Gary Putney (Stephen Merchant), Flats (J.B. Smoove), and Hog Head (Larry Joe Campbell).

The days are each marked with title cards heralded with the famous "Law and Order" deep chimes.

Day 1 is a bust; they overeat to the point of gluttony. Day 2's stupid; they get high on marijuana snacks at the golf course and wreak havoc. On Day 3, the girls rationalize that since their husbands have a hall pass, they technically aren't married. The boys hit a bar and try out silly pickup lines that Fred found online.

Day 4 is spent sleeping off Day 3's adventure in the bar. On Day 5, Rick approaches Leigh (Nicky Whelan), an attractive Australian coffee bar waitress who becomes interested in him when he puts down her arrogant co-worker. He falls asleep in a hit spa and ends up seeing a couple of naked penises.

Day 6 arrives and the boys wake up knowing nothing's happened. Then their friend, Coakley (Richard Jenkins), arrives to show them the ropes at a nightclub called "Enter the Dragon." Things get a bit hectic and slightly complicated after that. Meanwhile, the wives face their own temptations.

The hall pass doesn't get to the 7th day. Because things turn out ... okay.

Hall Pass isn't the best comedy I've ever seen, but it certainly is far from the worst. And, it's the most restrained acting I've ever seen from Owen Wilson.

Hint: don't leave until after the credits.

Grade: B-