Why It Ranks
Horrible Bosses made workplace revenge comedy a $209 million genre. The three leads have chemistry that cannot be manufactured. Jennifer Aniston's against-type villainess is a revelation. Colin Farrell's combover is Oscar-worthy. Jamie Foxx steals scenes with a character name you cannot print.
The Film
Horrible Bosses tapped into the universal fantasy of murdering your employer and made $209 million from it. Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, and Jason Sudeikis are three friends whose bosses — Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston, and Colin Farrell — are so monstrous that murder seems reasonable. Jamie Foxx's 'murder consultant' Motherfucker Jones is the most absurd character name to appear in a mainstream studio comedy. The film works because the leads have genuine chemistry and the bosses commit fully to being despicable.
Fun Facts
Jennifer Aniston's sexually aggressive character was a deliberate departure — she campaigned for the role to break her rom-com image.
Colin Farrell wore a combover and gained weight for the role — his transformation was so extreme some audiences did not recognize him.
Jamie Foxx's character name was originally different — 'Motherfucker Jones' was Foxx's improvised suggestion that stuck.
The film's success spawned a sequel in 2014 and established the Bateman-Day-Sudeikis trio as a comedy franchise.
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