Opposites attract in Todd Phillips's new road comedy

After his breakout role in last year's The Hangover, Zach Galifianakis (and his beard) have been getting some major exposure. His talent has provided some of the biggest laughs in the comedy world for a little more than a year now. So it wasn't a surprise that Todd Phillips chose to work with Galifianakis before their Hangover sequel, due out May 2011. Phillips does what he does best, and blends elements of buddy comedies with some gross-out humor. And with the addition of Robert Downey Jr., this makes for a clash of two very different actors. The constant arguing between the two make Due Date worth the watch, but it's missing the over-the-top laughs and shocks that Phillips's other films have presented.

Peter (Robert Downey Jr.) is a career-driven man who is trying to get back to Los Angeles in time to see the birth of his first child. After meeting an aspiring actor, Ethan Tremblay (Zach Galifianakis), and having an unpleasant encounter with an air marshal, they both get kicked off the plane. Being without an ID or money, Peter doesn't have any other choice but to accept a ride from Ethan to get from Georgia to California. Little does he know, it won't be one straight trip to his destination. With a few unexpected pit stops on the way, this trip will be more than just a car ride.

The mismatched duo of Downey and Galifianakis is what carries the film. Peter's surliness and Ethan's idiocy is what makes these two fun to watch. You realize how different these opposing forces are on-screen. They are as disagreeable with one another as Tom and Jerry. Their witty bantering is what keeps their relationship alive. It's refreshing to see Robert Downey Jr. let loose and perform in this type of comedy; but Zach Galifianakis plays perilously close to the same character as he did in The Hangover. He has the beard, is unintelligent, gets on the other main character's nerves, and carries around a pug this time instead of a baby.

Many of Phillips's other characters got into awkward situations. Due Date is lacking that. In his previous projects, the characters got themselves into hijinks left and right, and they were outrageous. Peter and Ethan get into them just every so often, and it only causes a chuckle. With their star power, there was a lot more potential to make some serious trouble. Jamie Foxx has a supporting role as Peter's best friend, but isn't given much to do. In The Hangover, you can't forget Mike Tyson singing and air-drumming to Phil Collin's "In the Air Tonight," or Ken Jeong popping out of the trunk of a car with a crowbar. Watching Downey and Galifianakis conflict with each other is amusing at first, but their material runs out of gas after awhile.

Final grade: C+