Playdate Review: You know that feeling when you sit down expecting a throwaway comedy and end up laughing harder than you planned? That’s Playdate in a nutshell. It’s not a great movie, far from it, but it’s the kind of goofy, slightly chaotic buddy comedy that still finds a way to entertain you.
The story kicks off with Brian (Kevin James), a forensic accountant who has just been fired and ends up as a stay-at-home dad. Pretty normal setup… until he meets Jeff (Alan Ritchson), another stay-at-home dad who looks like he just walked off a military base, because he kind of did. What starts as a simple playdate between their kids turns into a full-blown action chase involving mercenaries, car crashes, and a surprisingly emotional twist about who Jeff’s “son” really is.
Here’s the thing: Playdate isn’t trying to be smart. It’s trying to be fun. And for a while, it succeeds.
My Rating: 3.0/5
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Title | Playdate |
| Release Date | November 12, 2025 |
| Platform | Prime Video (Amazon Original) |
| Genre | Action Comedy / Buddy Comedy |
| Director | Luke Greenfield |
| Writer | Neil Goldman |
| Main Cast | Alan Ritchson, Kevin James, Sarah Chalke, Benjamin Pajak, Banks Pierce, Isla Fisher, Paul Walter Hauser, Stephen Root, Alan Tudyk, Hiro Kanagawa |
| Runtime | 93 minutes |
| Language | English |
| Country | United States |
Ritchson Steals the Show
I’ve seen Alan Ritchson mostly play the tough guy, Reacher, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, all that stoic stuff. But here, he’s hilarious. He plays Jeff like a well-meaning, slightly clueless action hero who quotes movies, punches bad guys, and still manages to make you root for him. It’s a mix of Dwayne Johnson’s muscle and Chris Pratt’s goofiness, and it works.
Kevin James, on the other hand, feels like he’s holding back. He’s usually the one cracking jokes and tripping over furniture, but here, he’s mostly the straight man. It’s a weird shift, and sometimes it makes him disappear next to Ritchson’s energy. Still, their chemistry holds the movie together; it’s the heart of the film, even when the script starts falling apart.
The Comedy Works, the Action Doesn’t
Director Luke Greenfield (The Girl Next Door, Let’s Be Cops) clearly wanted that “funny guy + badass guy” chemistry we’ve seen in Central Intelligence or The Other Guys. But Playdate doesn’t have the same polish. The fight scenes look like they were edited by someone in a caffeine panic, with cuts every two seconds, camera shaking like it’s trying to escape the frame.
The humor, though, lands more often than I expected. There are genuine laugh-out-loud moments, especially when Ritchson goes full chaos mode. The kids get a few cute bits too, but let’s be honest, this is Ritchson’s movie. Everyone else, from Sarah Chalke to Isla Fisher to Paul Walter Hauser, might as well be background noise.
The villains? Forgettable. The CGI? Cheap. But the pacing keeps things moving fast enough that you don’t really care until the credits roll.
A Surprise Twist and a Weak Script
I won’t spoil it, but the movie throws in a small plot twist halfway through that actually caught me off guard. It doesn’t fix the weak writing or thin character arcs, but it gives the story a tiny emotional jolt it badly needed.
That said, Neil Goldman’s script (he’s written for Community and Family Guy) leans too hard on pop culture references. The first few are fun, then it starts to feel like a drinking game you didn’t sign up for.
Also Read: The Running Man Review: Edgar Wright’s Slowest Movie Yet—What Went Wrong?
Final Thoughts
Playdate is the definition of a background movie. It’s not clever, not polished, and definitely not memorable, but it’s entertaining. It’s the kind of film you throw on when you want to laugh, check your phone, and still follow what’s going on.
Alan Ritchson proves he can do comedy, Kevin James feels underused, and the rest of the cast barely registers. Still, there’s a charm to how Playdate doesn’t take itself seriously. It’s dumb fun, and sometimes, that’s enough.
If you’re in the mood for an easy, action-heavy comedy you don’t have to think too hard about, give it a shot. Just don’t expect it to be the next 21 Jump Street.
Playdate (2025): Quick Breakdown
| What Worked | What Didn’t |
|---|---|
| Alan Ritchson’s surprisingly funny performance | Over-edited, cheap-looking action scenes |
| Good chemistry between the leads | Weak script full of forced references |
| Fast pace and a few genuine laughs | Forgettable side characters and villains |
| Light, fun tone for casual viewing | Kevin James sidelined and underused |
Verdict:
⭐ 3.0/5 — Not good, not terrible. Just a surprisingly fun mess held together by Alan Ritchson’s charisma.
