Due Date

Hollywood seems to run on a single rule: if something works, do it again. And again, and again, until the market is over saturated with whatever or whoever they're trying to shove down our throats at the moment. For example, I'm already getting tired of Zach Galifianakis. I saw him a few months ago in the bland Dinner For Schmucks. I suspected then that he may be a one hit wonder, and Due Date kind of proves me right. From here, it's only a matter of time until The Hangover 2 comes out, which is now shooting. It's a weird circle of life thing, where I loved the guy in The Hangover but may be tired of him by the time its sequel comes out.
It's nothing against the guy personally, it's the way Hollywood uses him. By throwing him into everything and having him play the same character every time, it gets tiring. He's funny, and in this film he even has some convincing dramatic scenes. Even so, it's like hearing the same joke told over and over. The same is true of his co star, Robert Downey Jr. When he was in Tropic Thunder a few years back, he hadn't been in a movie in a while. Seeing him in that was "Oh yeah, that guy. Hey, who knew he was funny?" Now we know. And we get it. This may sound crazy, but I think when someone is really great in a movie (as Galifianakis was in The Hangover), they should go away for a few years. Then come back with something and everyone would think "Oh yeah, that guy!" The film does have a great supporting cast as well, including Jamie Foxx and Juliette Lewis, but they're underused.
On the other hand, the movie itself is a tired formula. Remember that Kid Rock song where "Werewolves Of London" and "Sweet Home Alabama" are playing in the background? There is a similar effect going on here. Only this time, it's movies playing together in the background and they are Planes, Trains, and Automobiles and The Hangover. Both of which are vastly superior films to this one. Due Date has a few funny moments, and even some where I laughed out loud. In the end, those moments don't string together well enough to make a great film. It's not a terrible film, it's just not great. It's mediocre and forgettable. Certainly not one I would go out of my way to see again.