Horrible Bosses, starring Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day could very well be the comedy hit of the summer.  It is a perfect mix of solid script, deft direction, adult content, superstar cameos, wonderful camaraderie and slapstick comedy.  Bateman, (Arrested Development), Sudeikis (Saturday Night Live) and Day (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) are three modern Stooges stumbling through mad situations, blinded by ambitious stupidity, knocked around by fate, and yet always able to land on their feet. 

Bateman plays Nick Hendricks, the archetypal sales employee with years of service under his belt, yearning to move up the ladder just one more notch.   All he wants is a promotion and an office of his own.  He works overtime and weekends just to please his boss, the head of the sales department, Dave Harken.  Kevin Spacey plays Harken as every office employee’s nightmare, petty and hungry for power.  When the time for the big promotion comes around, Harken, after spending over six months making Nick believe he was going to get the job, nominates himself for the position.  Nick is crushed, and when he confronts Harken over his decision, he is told to suck it up.  Nick will forever be his slave.  

Sudeikis plays Kurt Buckman.  He is second in command at the Pellitt Chemical Company.  He is a single guy and a successful womanizer, who loves his life, his friends and his job.  His boss, Jack Pellitt, played in a few short scenes by the ever wonderful Donald Sutherland, is grooming him to take over the family business.  However, when he dies of a massive coronary, his cocaine and sex-addicted son Bobby, played with wonderful sleaze by Collin Ferrell, takes over the reins.  Bobby’s sole desire is to drive the company into the ground while living off all its profits.   

Day plays Dale Arbus, a mistakenly charged and convicted sex-offender, engaged-to-be-married dental assistant, whose horrible boss is the oversexed Dr. Julia Harris (Jennifer Aniston).  Aniston’s Harris is all abuse of sexual power.  In what is a classic role reversal, she is the harasser and Dale is her constant victim.  Aniston is wonderful as the disdainful sex-hungry dentist, who will stoop to any low level to get what she wants.   This might be her funniest role in years, and more than makes up for all the lost girlfriend parts she has been given in the recent past.   Welcome back Jennifer.  All is forgiven. 

The plot has the three put upon employees, deciding over beers to put an end to their bosses.  Dale suggests they hire a hit-man.  Their search for help in the murder department takes them to the bad side of town, where they meet Dean “MF’ Jones (Jamie Foxx).  He is hilarious as the supposed bad guy who the three buffoons believe will murder their bosses for cash. In a great turn of events, he takes their money in exchange not for murder, but for advice.  You want three people dead and don’t want their deaths directly related to your relationships to them; then, exchange targets. Nick takes on the job of killing Bobby Pellitt, Dale takes on Dave Harken, and in what is in a stroke of genius, Kurt gets to go after Dr. Julia Harris. 

Horrible Bosses is a great comedy.  The actors obviously love their characters, evil bosses and revengeful victims alike.  The seemingly realistic relationship of the three buddies makes their fantastic situation seem that much more believable.   I loved their on-screen chemistry, their comic timing and the fantastic screen play that gave them the space to work.  If you see one comedy this summer, make it Horrible Bosses.