Office Christmas Party (2016) * *

Directed by:  Josh Gordon and Will Speck

Starring:  Jason Bateman, T.J. Miller, Jennifer Aniston, Courtney B. Vance, Jillian Bell, Rob Corddry, Kate McKinnon, Olivia Munn

Office Christmas Party nearly transcended its objectives and almost morphed into a potent satire on political correctness and its effect on the workplace, until it decided to dumb things down and play it safe.    To my astonishment, I found myself caring a lot more about the events of Office Christmas Party more than I ever had a right to.    We know things will turn out well in the end for everyone, but the party itself isn't simply an excuse to showcase lazy sight gags and gross-out humor.    The man throwing it wants to prove his worth as a boss to his joyless staff and his cold CEO sister, and we find ourselves interested to see how that would turn out.   

But, then the movie flies off on its least amusing subplot involving an escort and her unstable female pimp and all hope for something fresh is out the window.   It's a pity.   Office Christmas Party has some very funny and adept comic actors all over it, and in many cases, they bring some inspiration and energy to a routine plot.    So, why lose faith by falling back on a car chase, gunplay, and over-the-top desperation to cause the movie to wheeze on its way across the finish line?    It's a tribute to Office Christmas Party that it even had a chance to work.    Although, like in numerous movies in which an all-out bash is at the center, I find myself wondering how much money was spent on the decorations, the endless supply of alcohol, food, and drugs, and then how much it will cost to clean up.    That is more intriguing than watching a guy swing half-naked like Tarzan from a string of Christmas lights.

We first meet the workers of the Chicago branch of Zenotek, which produces computer servers, but misses out on the big clients because it isn't Dell or Intel.    The branch is struggling financially, and the boss Clay Vanstone (Miller) wants to throw a Christmas party (or a "non-denominational gathering with a one drink maximum") to liven up the branch's sour morale.    Matters get worse when Clay's no-nonsense, resentful, sleek sister/company CEO Carol (Aniston) shows up and informs her brother of some grim news:  They have two days to land a huge client or be closed down.    Clay, his right-hand man Josh (Bateman), and the firm's top techno geek (Munn) pitch a stuffy client and invite him to the Christmas party which Carol forbade them from throwing.    Can they close the client and keep everyone's jobs?    Will they be able to throw the party without HR manager/resident party pooper Mary (McKinnon) having apoplexy over the inappropriate behavior which is sure to follow?

The party itself doesn't present many huge comic opportunities, but it doesn't sink the movie either.   We witness debauchery, lust, and inappropriateness on a massive scale, and I still haven't seen a truly riotously funny movie party since Sixteen Candles.    We know what will happen next, and Office Christmas Party checks those boxes.    This is not a movie you watch for strong character development or even its plot.    But, I must say the first hour or so kept me compelled until the bottom fell out and the movie ended with a whimper.