‘Unfinished Business’: Critics Slam Vince Vaughn’s New Movie

The reviews are coming in for the new Vince Vaughn film, Unfinished Business, which opens in theaters nationwide beginning today. So far, critics have not been too kind to the comedy.

At the time of this posting, Rotten Tomatoes has the film listed at a 9 percent approval rating, with only five of the 57 reviews considered fresh. It appears Unfinished Business may become the lowest-scoring film for Vaughn on the review aggregator site.

Kyle Smith of the New York Post said the film’s jokes simply are not funny.

“That ‘Unfinished Business’ thinks it’s a really fun idea to have a leading character named Mike Pancake tells you all you need to know. So, someone asks Mike in a meeting, your boss’ name is, what, Steve Toast? Ho, ho. Stop, my ribs are cracking.”

Several critics took note of how the film’s title relates to their feeling of it. Willie Waffle of DCW50 was one of those.

“I guess they call it ‘Unfinished Business’ because they meant to put in all of the jokes later, but forgot?”

Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times is another critic who felt that the people behind Unfinished Business made an incomplete film. Roeper also noted that the movie has a hard time deciding what it wants to be.

“Nearly everything about this movie feels like a task half-completed. Is it a hard-R road trip comedy that makes no apologies for politically incorrect humor — or a sweet family film with a message about tolerance and acceptance? It’s both, I suppose. And neither element is particularly convincing or particularly funny.”

Of all the positive reviews for Unfinished Business so far, none of them are exactly giving the film high praises, but they are saying that it’s a passable comedy. One of those is Michael O’Sullivan of the Washington Post.

“While by no means a masterpiece, the comedy, by Canadian director Ken Scott, is a careful calibration of crass gags and genuine sentiment that succeeds more often than it fails.”

Bruce Demera of Canada’s Toronto Star was another critic who gave the film a mild praise.

“There’s enough big laughs combined with sweet family drama to make ‘Unfinished Business’ an eventful journey.”

Vaughn’s new comedy is one of three films opening this weekend. The others are Chappie and The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. According to Variety, Chappie is looking to secure the number one spot at the box office this weekend. As for Unfinished Business, analysts are predicting it to earn only $5 million or $6 million.

Despite the bad reviews, are you still planning on seeing Unfinished Business?

[Image credit: 20th Century Fox via Unfinished Business website]