Game Over, Man! review: A fun spin on Die Hard

Game Over, Man! won’t win any points for originality, but the dynamic chemistry between its respective stars more than make up for it. 

While by no means a comedic classic, Workaholics was a widely enjoyable comedy for seven seasons on Comedy Central, with the show thriving mostly due to the talent of its cast. Adam Devine, Anders Holm, and Blake Anderson developed a natural chemistry that gave the show a loyal fanbase till this day.

The trio are now teaming up for the Netflix production Game Over, Man!  With each star serving double-duty behind the scenes, this is essentially the closest thing fans will get to a Workaholics movie. The film follows three friends who are thrust into the role of action stars when the hotel they work at is taken over by a villainous group.

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Similar to their show, Game Over, Man! won’t be for everyone (it currently holds an outstanding 0% on Rotten Tomatoes). That being said, I actually enjoyed the film, which executes its tired premise with effective comedic flair.

Doing a variation on Die Hard certainly isn’t a game-breaking idea, but credit to the lead trio (they all co-wrote and produced, Holm wrote the script) for creating a film with its own personality. The constant swirling of references ranging from the obvious (Die Hard) to the laughably obscure (Home Alone 3) are fun and effective. The quirk about the film that surprised me the most was its shocking violence, with Kyle Newacheck playing up to the film’s comedic tone with some hilariously overdone kills. It will certainly gross people out, but its the kind of absurdist material that this trio strive to create.

Game Over, Man!, like all comedies, goes as far as the humor takes it. For some, that might not be very far, as some could easily describe the film’s jokes as lewd or too crass for its own good. I would say the film works more than it doesn’t however comedic, with its comedic set pieces pushing the envelope in some fun ways. I give much of the credit to Devine, Holm, and Anderson, with their naturally funny chemistry often being enough to make a set piece work. They play off each other with such ease, and that infectious energy often carries the film. The movie also is very self-aware, never taking itself too seriously nor wasting a second of running time on cliched storytelling.

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That isn’t an excuse however for the film’s shotty qualities. Newacheck does have some fun when it comes to the action, but the filmmaking is just as middling as most studio comedies. I give the script a pass for its lack of story, but it does very little to make these characters interesting or more memorable. It’s a short, fast-paced, but ultimately forgettable movie, oddly making it a perfect fit for Netflix.

Game Over, Man! is slight as can be, but it packs a lot of fun and absurdity along the way. With the ending hinting at a possible sequel, I would not mind seeing this trio again doing the weird things they do best.

Game Over, Man! is streaming on Netflix now.