1st Night

This farcical romantic comedy lacks the charm and star power to compensate for its contrived plotting and only mildly amusing situations.

The standard of acting is poor beyond belief. What happened to Grant’s career that he should be in the likes of this?

Many of the actors give performances in line with their low profile here.

It’s to director Chris Menaul’s credit that his lack of big-screen experience isn’t evident, but the same can’t be said for his cast who are, by and large, too stiff to charm.

If 1st Night had a glint of social satire, it might have amounted to something more than a frivolous fatuity. But it plays as an arch, hammily acted farce.

The depressingly predictable script—and tendency of everyone involved to jump to ridiculous conclusions—suggests a combination of Noises Off at best, and at worst, Three's Company.

The political dynamic that underpins The Rules of the Game is nonexistent in 1st Night, which is fixated entirely on the zany sexcapades of its characters.