Hilariously ‘Horrible’

You don’t see Jennifer Aniston and Colin Farrell regularly portraying power-mad, abusive characters at all, so it’s pleasantly surprising that they do exactly that just this once, translating quite enjoyably in the comedy “Horrible Bosses.” Joined by Kevin Spacey, who’s done quite an array of memorable villains already, they form a terrible triumvirate targeted by their favorite victims, played by Jason Sudeikis, Jason Bateman, and Charlie Day.

“Horrible Bosses” follows the abused subordinates’ similar plights, longtime friends who, coincidentally enough, are being pushed to the limit by their different, unapologetically wicked bosses. They hire a guy they believe to be a hitman, actually a “murder consultant,” Motherf***er Jones (Jamie Foxx), but end up following their own less-than-brilliant revenge plan.

It’s a treat to see Aniston in the sexy, over-the-top role, and it’s hilarious to see her predatory ways rebuffed by the dental assistant played by Day (whose role is just a little smarter than his regular “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” character). Spacey expectedly does fine as the manipulative and paranoid character, while Farrell is memorable as the extremely insensitive boss and drug-addled martial arts fan. Bateman and Sudeikis have almost interchangeable characters, good-natured pushover guys with dark sides.

Often entertainingly lewd and crude, the movie’s darkly comic situations offer a strange, cathartic escapism. The bumbling antiheroes and their awful antagonists have enough thigh-slapping encounters, and the endeavor benefits from the visible rapport between its actors, as well.

"Horrible Bosses” opens today in Metro Manila.