Review: Office Christmas Party (15)

Undated Film Still Handout from OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY. Pictured: Kate McKinnon as Mary Winetoss, Jason Bateman as Josh Parker, T.J. Miller as Clay Vanstone, Olivia Munn as Tracey Hughes. See PA Feature FILM Reviews. Picture credit should read: PA Photo/eOne. WARNING: This picture must only be used to accompany PA Feature FILM Reviews.

Directors Josh Gordon and Will Speck, a trio of screenwriters and most of the cast of Office Christmas Party should land on Santa's naughty list for this relentlessly foul-mouthed comedy of errors.

Hung on the flimsiest of dramatic conceits, this vulgar valentine to behaving badly under the influence of alcohol, drugs and excessive testosterone possesses no airs and graces.

The script plays pass the parcel with thinly sketched characters’ emotions, orchestrating romantic entanglements to ensure a generous slosh of saccharine cheer over the end credits, which are festooned with the usual array of out-takes.

Amidst the debauchery, pop culture references and stolen reindeer, there are a couple of decent laughs, but it’s hard to know whether credit is due to the actors’ inspired ad-libs or a gilded one-liner on the page.

Either way, Office Christmas Party is less the sum of its starry parts and doesn’t do justice to an ensemble that includes Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, TJ Miller and Saturday Night Live stalwart Kate McKinnon.

Office Christmas Party is a tinsel-strewn vision of Sodom and Gomorrah that will be hair of the dog for undemanding audiences who enjoyed The Hangover.

On general release