Hubbry Logo
Hall PassHall PassMain
Open search
Hall Pass
Community hub
Hall Pass
logo
7 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Hall Pass
Hall Pass
Hall Pass
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

Hall Pass
Theatrical release poster
Directed byPeter Farrelly
Bobby Farrelly
Screenplay by
  • Bobby Farrelly
  • Peter Farrelly
  • Pete Jones
  • Kevin Barnett
Story byPete Jones
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyMatthew F. Leonetti
Edited bySam Seig
Music byRolfe Kent
Production
companies
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
Release date
  • February 25, 2011 (2011-02-25)
Running time
105 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$36 million[1]
Box office$83.2 million[2]

Hall Pass is a 2011 American comedy film produced and directed by the Farrelly brothers and co-written by them along with Pete Jones,[3] the writer/director of Stolen Summer. It stars Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Jenna Fischer, Richard Jenkins and Christina Applegate.

Rick and Fred, two husbands who are having difficulty in their marriages, are given hall passes by their wives: for one week, they are allowed to have sex with other women.

The film was produced by New Line Cinema, Conundrum Entertainment and Charles B. Wessler Entertainment and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, and was theatrically released on February 25, 2011. The film received mixed reviews from critics and was a moderate box office success by grossing over $83 million.

Plot

[edit]

Best friends Rick and Fred are in stagnant marriages with their wives, Grace and Maggie. They discuss how they miss their single days, so their wives give them a "hall pass": a week during which they can disconnect from their lives and potentially have sex with other women. Rick and Fred try to pick up women with their friends Gary, Flats, and Hog Head while Maggie and Grace decide they should get hall passes, too.

Four days into the week, Rick goes to his favorite coffee shop, where he flirts with the attractive waitress Leigh, angering her co-worker Brent, who wants her for himself. Rick and she later meet at her gym and she invites him for a beer after they work out. He falls asleep in the hot tub for several hours, leaving his muscles too weak to use; two naked men have to help him get out. Meanwhile, Grace and minor league baseball player Gerry get closer, and Maggie finds herself attracted to Gerry's coach.

On day six, Rick and Fred go to a bar with their single, womanizing friend Coakley. There Rick meets his children's babysitter Paige, who has just turned 21 and is partying with her aunt Meg. She is attracted to him, but he turns her down to dance with Leigh.

Later, Rick parties at Coakley's while Fred takes a woman to his hotel room. However, she feels sick and, after a minor incident in the bathroom, is sent home in a taxi by Fred before anything happens. Later that evening, Meg shows up at the room and mistaking Fred for Rick, seduces him.

Meanwhile, Gerry's coach tries to seduce Maggie but she rebuffs him. Grace, on the other hand, has sex with Gerry but tells him she cannot see him again; he agrees, saying she is too old for him. On her way back home, she feels guilty about cheating on Fred and has a car accident.

At Coakley's house, Leigh offers Rick casual sex. To his own surprise, he turns her down, saying he loves Maggie too much to cheat on her. After answering Fred's phone, Rick learns of Grace's accident and rushes to the hotel to tell him. In the lobby he finds Paige, who thinks he was having sex with Meg. They enter the room and find Fred with her. After finding out he is not Rick, Meg kicks Fred in the face.

Opon hearing about Grace's accident, Fred tries to go to the hospital but finds Brent vandalizing what he thinks is Rick's car because of jealousy over Leigh. On seeing Meg (his mother) at the hotel, Brent thinks Fred has had sex with her and tries to kill him, but Paige and Meg tackle him. Rick and Fred go to the hospital with Brent and the police in pursuit. At the hospital, Brent is arrested for attacking them.

Rick goes home to Maggie. He tells her he did not use the hall pass and confesses that she is the only woman he has ever been with. Moved, she tells him she did not use her hall pass, either, and they reconcile and have sex for the first time in months. Fred and Grace also reconcile and decide to stick to not divulge, as per the 'hall pass'. However, he ultimately reveals that he fingered Meg when Grace asks him to take her to see Kathy Griffin.

During the credits, Fred hosts a barbecue where he pays Kathy Griffin to be present. Gary's wife suggests that she give him a hall pass. Gary imagines sleeping with a married woman and then accidentally killing her, her entire family, and several bystanders and being raped in prison; but he then shrugs it off and agrees to "give it a whirl".

Cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

The project began as a spec script written by Pete Jones that the Farrelly brothers purchased in September 2005, paying a "high six-figure[s]."[4] Conundrum Entertainment, the Farrelly brothers' production partnership with Bradley Thomas, produced the film, along with Charlie Wessler.[3] Owen Wilson was the first of the two leads to commit to the project; Sudeikis was the Farrelly brothers' choice for the other lead role, but as of January 2010 it was still uncertain whether his commitment to his work on Saturday Night Live permitted his participation.[3]

Principal photography began in February 2010 in Atlanta, with Christina Applegate, Alyssa Milano, Larry Joe Campbell and Vanessa Angel as late additions to the cast.[5] Although filmed in Georgia, the film's setting, like most Farrelly brothers films, is New England;[3] specifically Providence, Rhode Island. Georgia was chosen due to incentives introduced by the Georgia Entertainment Industry Investment Act of 2008; according to the Film, Music and Digital Entertainment Division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Hall Pass was part of Hollywood's nearly one billion outlay in the state during 2010; Marc Fischer, an executive producer of Hall Pass, called Atlanta both more economical and easier to shoot in than Boston.[6] Fischer, also an executive producer for the Farrelly brothers' The Three Stooges, had by May 2010 already begun pre-production work in Georgia for that film.[6]

Amanda Bynes was originally set to star in the film, but was replaced by Alexandra Daddario shortly after filming began.[7] Bynes later admitted she pulled out of the production due to her now well-known substance abuse and mental health issues.[8]

Hall Pass is the third film in which Jason Sudeikis and Christina Applegate starred together, the others being The Rocker and Going the Distance.

Reception

[edit]

Box office

[edit]

Hall Pass was #1 on opening day with $4.6 million, and initial estimates showed it at #2 for the weekend behind Gnomeo & Juliet, but Gnomeo & Juliet was overestimated and brought down to #2, putting Hall Pass in first with $13.5 million in its opening weekend.[9] It eventually grossed $45 million in North America and $38.2 million in other territories to a total of $83.2 million worldwide against a budget of $36 million.

Critical response

[edit]

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 32% based on 176 reviews and an average rating of 4.70/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Some filmgoers may be surprised by the Farrellys' defense of traditional domestic values in Hall Pass – unfortunately, they'll probably also be dismayed by the absence of laughs."[10] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 45 out of 100 based on 36 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[11] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B−" on an A+ to F scale.[12]

Critic Roger Ebert gave the film two and a half out of four stars, saying, "A problem with Hall Pass, I think, is that both Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis are affable, and the movie wants us to like them. It is often more useful for a comedy to have characters whose embarrassment we enjoy."[13] Charlie Lyne's UltraCulture film blog said that the film's biggest problem wasn't its attitude to women (although that was brought into question), but its "disguising of an inherently conservative movie as some kind of anything-goes frat house sex romp."[14] "[W]e’re supposed to cheer on both attitudes with equal vigour and that simply doesn’t work when the film flits between them with such frequency."[14] British newspaper The Telegraph named Hall Pass one of the ten worst films of 2011, saying, "Hall Pass is outright hideous and also embarrassing, like a creepy uncle sporting a backwards baseball cap and cracking bad, lewd jokes for the under-thirties. At a funeral."[15]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Hall Pass

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Hall Pass is a American buddy comedy film directed and produced by Bobby and Peter Farrelly, written by the directors alongside Pete Jones and Kevin Barnett, and starring as Rick Mills and as Fred Searing. The centers on two longtime married friends who receive a one-week "hall pass" from their wives, allowing them to engage in extramarital activities without consequences, in an effort to revitalize their relationships. The film explores themes of marital restlessness and fidelity through raunchy humor, as the men's attempts at freedom lead to comedic mishaps while their wives, portrayed by and , unexpectedly thrive in their own independence. Principal photography for Hall Pass took place in Atlanta, Georgia, and surrounding areas, with production handled by and under the ' Conundrum Entertainment banner. The screenplay originated from an idea by Pete Jones, evolving into a script that blends the directors' signature gross-out comedy style—seen in films like and —with a somewhat conservative message about the value of commitment. Supporting roles feature as the friends' awkward co-worker, along with an ensemble including , , and , contributing to the film's ensemble-driven humor. Released theatrically on , 2011, in the United States, Hall Pass opened in 2,950 theaters and earned $13.5 million in its first weekend, ultimately grossing $45.1 million domestically and $87.2 million worldwide against a $36 million budget. Critically, the film received mixed reviews, holding a 32% approval rating from 176 critics on , where the consensus noted: "Some filmgoers may be surprised by the Farrellys' defense of traditional domestic values in Hall Pass -- unfortunately, they'll probably also be dismayed by the absence of laughs." reception was similarly divided, with a 40% Popcornmeter score based on over 50,000 ratings, praising the comedic timing of Wilson and Sudeikis while critiquing the film's uneven pacing and dated humor.

Overview

Plot

Rick and Fred are best friends trapped in stagnant marriages, constantly ogling other women and fantasizing about extramarital affairs, much to the frustration of their wives, and Grace. After witnessing their husbands' persistent wandering eyes during a game and other public humiliations, the wives consult a relationship counselor, Dr. Lucy, who, inspired by a similar experience that revitalized her own , recommends granting them a "hall pass"—a full week of freedom from the marriage, during which they can pursue sexual encounters without jealousy or consequences, and they reluctantly agree, hoping it will cure the men's restlessness. Eager to reclaim their bachelor days, Rick and Fred dive into a week of debauchery, recruiting their slacker friends Hog-Head and Gary for support as they hit bars, smoke marijuana, and attempt to seduce women. Rick's pursuits lead to an awkward encounter with Leigh, a flirtatious Australian barista he meets at his local coffee shop; after spotting her at a driving range and later a bar, he ends up at her home, but excessive drinking causes him to pass out, leaving the night unfulfilled. Meanwhile, Fred joins a women's softball team to meet players, but his overzealous advances result in comedic failures, including a disastrous hot tub incident and repeated rejections that highlight his lack of game in the real world. Parallel to the husbands' misadventures, Maggie and Grace embark on a to a Florida water park resort with Grace's wild sister, where they encounter two handsome young instructors who show romantic interest. Tempted by the attention and the freedom of their own implicit hall pass, the wives flirt and party, but ultimately pull back from , realizing their emotional ties to their husbands run deeper than fleeting attractions. As the week nears its end, Rick, sobered by his failures and missing his family, drives to to find and confess his , interrupting her almost-kiss with one of the instructors. Fred, similarly reflective after a final failed hookup attempt, returns home to Grace. On the last night, both men face ultimate —Rick with Leigh at a party and Fred with a softball teammate—but choose , affirming their commitment to their marriages. The couples reunite, strengthened by the experience, with the husbands now fully appreciating the stability and they nearly lost.

Cast

The principal cast of Hall Pass features as Rick Mills, a husband navigating marital restlessness; as Fred Searing, Rick's best friend facing similar issues in his marriage; as Maggie Mills, Rick's devoted wife; and as Grace Searing, Fred's pragmatic wife. Supporting roles include as Gary, the awkward co-worker and friend of Rick and Fred who joins their escapades; as Coakley, the authoritative boss of the two husbands; as Hog-Head, a boisterous member of their social circle; Bruce Thomas as Coach Rick Coleman, the coach of Rick's recreational team; and as Gerry, a younger player on the team. Additional notable cast members are as Leigh, an attractive woman the group encounters; as Paige, Grace's adventurous friend; and as Brent, another acquaintance in their outings.

Production

Development

The concept for Hall Pass originated from co-writer Pete Jones, who drew inspiration from personal anecdotes about marriage and fidelity, reflecting on how some men in committed relationships grapple with temptations without necessarily acting on , while emphasizing his own devotion to his wife. Jones, a native and winner of the first season of HBO's for his film , penned the , which explored the idea of wives granting husbands a temporary "hall pass" for extramarital freedom to revitalize their marriages. In September 2005, 20th Century Fox acquired the script in a high six-figure deal, with Peter and attached as producers. The project stalled at Fox and entered turnaround, after which —a —picked it up in early 2009, bringing the on board as directors and co-writers alongside Jones and Kevin Barnett to refine the screenplay with their signature humor. The brothers aimed to evolve their style by infusing raunchy, gross-out comedy—hallmarks of films like There's Something About Mary (1998)—with more grounded explorations of adult relationships and marital dynamics, focusing on the realism of long-term fidelity amid comedic chaos. Pre-production advanced in 2010 with a reported budget of $36 million, signaling Warner Bros.' commitment to the mid-range comedy. Casting began that January when signed on to star as Rick, a frustrated husband receiving the hall pass, marking a reunion of sorts with the Farrellys after their collaboration on (2000). Shortly after, joined as Wilson's on-screen wife Maggie, followed by as co-lead Fred and as his wife Grace, rounding out the core ensemble with performers known for blending relatability and comedic timing. These choices underscored the Farrellys' vision of portraying everyday marital tensions through exaggerated, yet empathetic, lenses.

Filming

Principal photography for Hall Pass commenced on February 23, 2010, in , Georgia, and spanned approximately 50 days, wrapping up in late April. The production chose for its economic advantages and logistical ease compared to the film's setting, utilizing various local sites to stand in for suburban and urban environments. Key filming locations included Atlanta suburbs for domestic family scenes, such as residential neighborhoods depicting the protagonists' homes. Comedic set pieces were captured at local establishments like the Applebee's restaurant in Johns Creek for bar sequences and Johnny's Hideaway in Buckhead for nightlife antics. Additional exteriors featured the Druid Hills Golf Club for driving range humor and a softball field at Avondale High School for group sports scenes. The production faced challenges in coordinating large ensemble scenes, leveraging the Farrelly brothers' signature approach that incorporated improvisation from the cast to heighten comedic spontaneity. Logistical efforts were required to manage props and stunts supporting the film's R-rated humor, including a dedicated property assistant to maintain continuity across recurring set elements like family photos and memorabilia. The cast contributed to this process by improvising dialogue in several sequences. Cinematography was handled by , whose work supported the film's visual comedy through strategic shot compositions.

Release

Theatrical Release

_Hall Pass had its world premiere on February 23, 2011, at the ArcLight in Hollywood, , ahead of its wide theatrical release in the United States on February 25, 2011, distributed by through its banner. The film rolled out internationally shortly thereafter, opening in on March 3, 2011, and in the on March 11, 2011, as part of a broader global distribution strategy by Marketing for Hall Pass focused on its raunchy comedic premise, highlighting the "one week, no rules" concept through trailers that showcased the film's crude humor, including scenes of marital frustration and awkward escapades, while prominently featuring the star power of and alongside the directorial return of the . Promotional efforts included multiple official trailers released online and TV spots that emphasized the film's adult-oriented to target audiences seeking irreverent laughs similar to the directors' earlier works like . The film received an MPAA rating of in the United States for crude and sexual humor throughout, language, some graphic nudity, and drug use, reflecting its explicit content. Equivalent certifications were issued abroad, such as a 15 rating from the in the UK for strong language, sex references, and drug use, ensuring age-appropriate restrictions aligned with its .

Home Media

The home media release of Hall Pass occurred on June 14, 2011, distributed by Warner Home Video in both DVD and Blu-ray formats. The Blu-ray edition was available as a combo pack that included a standard DVD and a for added convenience. A notable variant was the "Enlarged Edition," exclusive to Blu-ray, which featured an extended cut of the film running approximately six minutes longer than the 105-minute theatrical version, incorporating additional scenes for enhanced comedic moments. Special features across these releases included deleted scenes and a gag reel, providing behind-the-scenes insights into the ' filmmaking process. Over the years, Hall Pass has rotated through various streaming platforms, including availability on during multiple periods from 2011 onward. Internationally, home media launches aligned closely with the U.S. timeline, with DVD and Blu-ray editions reaching markets in and in July 2011, often with localized packaging and subtitles to suit regional preferences.

Reception

Box Office

Hall Pass earned $13.5 million during its opening weekend of February 25–27, 2011, securing the number one position at the North American ahead of holdover . The film expanded to a domestic total of $45.1 million over its theatrical run. Internationally, Hall Pass grossed $41.1 million, bringing its worldwide total to $86.2 million against a of $36 million. In terms of market performance, the film demonstrated strength within the R-rated comedy genre by topping the on its debut, but it underperformed relative to expectations for a return project from directors Peter and , whose previous hits like had exceeded $200 million worldwide. Weekly earnings showed a significant decline after the opening, with the second weekend dropping 35% to $8.9 million and falling to fourth place behind new release Rango, while subsequent weeks continued the downward trend, contributing to a modest overall domestic haul. Comparatively, Hall Pass was outperformed by contemporary romantic comedy Just Go with It, which grossed $214.8 million worldwide earlier that February, but it lagged behind the Farrelly brothers' 2014 sequel Dumb and Dumber To in retrospective analysis, the latter earning $153.5 million globally despite similar genre expectations.

Critical Response

Hall Pass received mixed to negative reviews from critics upon its release, with aggregate scores reflecting a general consensus of disappointment in its execution despite some humorous elements. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 32% approval rating based on 176 reviews, with the Critics Consensus stating: "Some filmgoers may be surprised by the Farrellys' defense of traditional domestic values in Hall Pass -- unfortunately, they'll probably also be dismayed by the absence of laughs." Metacritic assigns it a score of 45 out of 100 based on 36 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. The audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is 40% based on over 50,000 ratings, suggesting a divided response from viewers. Critics praised the film for the ' signature crude humor and the easy chemistry between leads and , which provided occasional laughs amid the chaos. However, common criticisms focused on its reliance on outdated gender stereotypes, uneven pacing, and overdependence on gross-out gags that felt repetitive and mean-spirited, often at the expense of deeper character development or a coherent script. Reviewers noted that the movie's portrayal of marital dynamics and male fantasies came across as juvenile and insensitive, with elements like homophobic jokes and derogatory depictions of women undermining any potential sincerity. Notable reviews highlighted these divides. awarded it 2.5 out of 4 stars, describing it as amiable but ultimately limited by its affable protagonists and predictable setup, which prevented it from fully exploring its premise. An review appreciated the underlying sincere love story intact beneath the gross-outs, crediting the Farrellys for blending raunch with heart, though it acknowledged the formula's familiarity.

References

  1. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0480687/
  2. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/hall_pass
  3. https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Hall-Pass
  4. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0480687/plotsummary/
  5. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/hall-pass-2011
  6. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0480687/keywords/
  7. https://moviepooper.com/movie/hall-pass/
  8. https://screenrant.com/hall-pass-cast-character-guide/
  9. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0480687/fullcredits/
  10. https://www.tvguide.com/movies/hall-pass/cast/2030353266/
  11. https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/48988-hall-pass/cast?language=en-US
  12. https://www.avclub.com/hall-pass-peter-farrelly-and-pete-jones-1798224373
  13. https://reelchicago.com/article/project-greenlight-vet-pete-jones-sells-script-brfox-farrelly-brothers-now-back-deerfield/
  14. https://movieweb.com/fox-picks-up-pete-jones-bhall-passb/
  15. https://www.slashfilm.com/508070/richard-jenkins-and-bruce-thomas-join-farrellys-hall-pass-more-script-details-revealed/
  16. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2011-feb-24-la-et-farrelly-bros-20110224-story.html
  17. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/owen-wilson-signs-farrellys-hall-19153/
  18. https://theplaylist.net/jenna-fischer-gets-hall-pass-20100115/
  19. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/applegate-milano-getting-hall-pass-21114/
  20. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0480687/locations/
  21. https://www.forsythnews.com/local/movie-shoots-at-mary-alice/
  22. https://blog.southernoutdoorcinema.com/hall-pass-starring-owen-wilson-and-jason-sudeikis-filmed-in-georgia/
  23. https://giggster.com/guide/movie-location/where-was-hall-pass-filmed
  24. https://moviemaps.org/movies/ba
  25. https://www.facebook.com/groups/3164534807204454/posts/4050075061983753/
  26. https://www.facebook.com/61560236743638/videos/during-hall-pass-2011-the-filmmakers-used-a-production-assist-a-property-assista/1315415856309898/
  27. https://www.tribute.ca/interviews/jason-sudeikis-owen-wilson-hall-pass/star/45032/
  28. https://www.seeing-stars.com/Calendar/CalendarPast2011.shtml
  29. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0480687/releaseinfo/
  30. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0480687/
  31. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/releasegroup/gr2469220869/
  32. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0480687/?ref_=bo_se_r_1
  33. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JMCvX6qXuo
  34. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIMYNVkZBSo
  35. https://bluray.highdefdigest.com/5156/hall_pass_enlarged.html
  36. https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Hall-Pass-Blu-ray/23622/
  37. https://dvdizzy.com/hallpass.html
  38. https://www.netflix.com/title/70140914
  39. https://dvd-fever.co.uk/hall-pass-out-on-blu-ray-dvd-and-digital-download-from-july-4th-2011/
  40. https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Hall-Pass-Blu-ray/99546/
  41. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl1062635009/
  42. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2011-feb-28-la-et-box-office-20110228-story.html
  43. https://www.metacritic.com/movie/hall-pass/
  44. https://www.npr.org/2011/02/25/133877246/hall-pass-a-sincere-love-story-gross-outs-intact
  45. https://www.nyfcc.com/2011/02/review-hall-pass/
  46. https://slate.com/culture/2011/02/hall-pass-reviewed-owen-wilson-jason-sudeikis-and-the-farrelly-brothers-achieve-new-lows-in-misogyny.html
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.