**Playdate**, an action comedy starring *Reacher* star Alan Ritchson and Kevin James, is now available for streaming on Prime Video. Rated PG-13, the film premiered on Wednesday and has been met with largely negative reviews from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
The official synopsis of *Playdate* reads:
“When recently unemployed accountant Brian (Kevin James) agrees to a playdate with charismatic stay-at-home dad Jeff (Alan Ritchson) and their sons, he expects an easy afternoon of small talk and football tossing. Instead, he’s thrust into a chaotic scramble to stay alive as they are pursued by a ruthless team of mercenaries.”
Director Luke Greenfield (*Let’s Be Cops, The Girl Next Door*) combines suburban dad life with high-stakes thrills, turning an ordinary afternoon into an absurd, action-packed adventure where minivan mayhem collides with professional hitmen. As Forbes noted, “Brian stumbles through one ridiculous obstacle after another, his zero tactical skills a stark contrast to Jeff’s oddly prepared demeanor.”
### Rotten Tomatoes Scores and Critical Reception
As of this writing, *Playdate* holds a 17% “rotten” rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 12 critic reviews. The audience summary, critics consensus, and Popcornmeter score are still pending.
Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com, one of the critics who gave the film a “rotten” rating, describes the movie as, “a remarkably stupid movie that thinks you’re remarkably stupid, too.” Similarly, Matt Donato of The AV Club writes, “When people complain about the death of mainstream comedies, it’s bottom-feeding films like *Playdate* that are the genre’s executioner.”
Gregory Nussen of Screen Rant also criticized the film, calling it “regressive and devoid of genuine laughs,” and stating that the Kevin James/Alan Ritchson action “is drowning in dated machismo.”
### Positive Reviews
Despite the overwhelmingly negative reception, *Playdate* has received some positive reviews. M. N. Miller of Fandom Wire praises Alan Ritchson’s performance, stating, “Ritchson steals every scene with absurd energy and surprising warmth, like a big golden retriever trapped in a comic book hero’s body. Sweet, impetuous, and goofy, he’s incredibly likable.”
Peter Gray from The AU Review also gave the film a “fresh” rating, commenting, “This is hardly going to change anyone’s day, but I dare say that Ritchson opposing his monstrous frame with a schoolboy enthusiasm is worth the streaming minutes alone; may you never look at *Reacher* the same way again.”
### Cast and Availability
*Playdate* also stars Sarah Chalke, Alan Tudyk, Benjamin Pajak, Banks Pierce, Hiro Kanagawa, Stephen Root, and Isla Fisher. It is streaming exclusively on Prime Video.
If you’re in the mood for a chaotic and absurd action comedy that mixes suburban dad life with over-the-top thrills, *Playdate* might be worth checking out—just don’t expect critical acclaim.
https://bitcoinethereumnews.com/finance/rotten-tomatoes-critics-crush-alan-ritchson-and-kevin-james-comedy/