REVIEW: ‘Playdate’ Is Only Worth It If You Love Alan Ritchson

Prime Video has focused on releasing action movies almost monthly, providing its subscribers with a movie to unwind with on a Friday. Playdate continues this trend, and unlike the others that have released this year, its straight-to-streaming quality is definitely not for the better. 

Playdate is directed by Luke Greenfield and written by Neil Goldman; the film offers up a large cast of notable faces, even aside from Kevin James and Alan Ritchson. With Alan Tudyk, Sarah Chalke, Stephen Root, Isla Fisher, Paul Walter Hauser, and Hiro Kanagawa, Playdate’s ensemble cast is stacked—even if many of them don’t get a lot to do. 

Brian (Kevin James) is recently unemployed and also trying his best to be a good step-father. He coaches his son Lucas’ lacrosse team as a way to bridge the gap between them. Only Lucas (Benjamin Pajak) would rather create TikTok dances than play lacrosse. With his work life in ruins, he takes on the role of a stay-at-home dad. And on his first day of this new life, it all goes badly. 

Alan Ritchson and Kevin James attempt a buddy action comedy, but Ritchson is the one who stands out.

Brian’s first time in at the park, he is almost jumped into the Mama Mafia, only to meet the charismatic stay-at-home dad, Jeff (Alan Ritchson), and his son, CJ (Banks Pierce). When Jeff invites Brian and his son on a playdate, the latter expects a leisurely afternoon of small talk and tossing a football.

Instead, the group is thrust into a chaotic scramble to stay alive as a ruthless team of mercenaries pursues them. Brian stumbles through one ridiculous obstacle after another, his lack of tactical skills a stark contrast to Jeff’s oddly prepared demeanor and ability to barrel through each obstacle instead.

If you couldn’t tell, Playdate is supposed to have Brian as its main character. Instead, it’s Jeff who takes the spotlight. Narratively, Playdate is far from interesting. Audiences can see precisely where it is going and how quickly it will get there. Still, the chase sequences and constant action that follow the first act do manage to hold your attention, largely due to Ritchson’s portrayal of Jeff.

Jeff is awkward, funny, dumb, strong, and really wants to be liked. It’s a dynamic that helps the film get a laugh or two when the others around him go stale. This is made better in his moments with CJ, the kid in his charge. That said, Kevin James’ Brian and his son, Lucas, don’t have the same endearing qualities. 

There is a lot that I dislike about Playdate’s humor, CGI work, and even the performances of other actors. But Alan Ritchson is too good not to keep watching. “Himbo” is probably not the right term for Ritchson’s Jeff, primarily because “heart of gold” is overstating his kindness in the film to say the least, but being a large, dumb man suits Ritchson as much as his methodical and logical role as Jack Reacher. 

Playdate puts Ritchson into a role close to what we see from him in his Blue Mountain State years, and we’re better for it. Ritchson’s comedic timing and charisma dominate the scenes, leaving little for Kevin James, who delivers a low-energy performance that fails to make an impression. 

Playdate isn’t great or even really good, but Alan Ritchson is an honest joy to see on screen. 

Where Jeff’s humor comes from is that he embodies hypermasculine looks while simultaneously bucking expectations. His openness for friendship and what turns out to be a sensitive streak is balanced against his ability just to run another person through a wall. It’s funny, and it also makes Kevin James’ brand of humor, which is about an old man who doesn’t know how to connect with his son, who doesn’t like sports, feel empty. 

In fact, Ritchson’s performance defines Playdate and any moment that garners a real laugh. While a lot of the humor in the film is outdated (in a bad way), when Jeff is on screen, it just works. Yes, even when they’re catfishing Jeff’s coworker. 

As a whole, Playdate is one of the films I have watched this year, for which I have very few words to write in this review. What you see on the surface is what you get. With the caveat that you will feel every minute of its 1 hour and 32-minute runtime, making it feel significantly longer than it actually is. 

For fans of Alan Ritchson’s run on Blue Mountain State, Playdate is a good watch to pass the time. However, if you don’t have a soft spot for a man who is making his name by being big, then you can skip it instead of streaming it. 

Playdate is streaming now, exclusively on Prime Video.