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How does the inappropriate 'Office Christmas Party' rank among this year's comedies?

We don't know about your workplace, but there are a lot of things we can't do at a party on Dallas Morning News property. An alcoholic eggnog luge? Probably going to result in a nasty note from HR. Sending drugs through a snow machine? Definite no-no. Strapping $300 thousand to our chests? That one isn't just ill-advised, it's literally impossible on a journalist's salary.

So thank God for the escapism of movies, which let us experience way-too-wild office Christmas parties vicariously through films like, well, Office Christmas Party.

But is this R-rated Christmas comedy actually worth seeing, or is it yet another holiday hot mess?

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Britton: I was asked by a fellow writer when we left the theater what I thought of Office Christmas Party, and my response was, "It was another one of those." It was just over a year ago, Sarah, that you and I saw The Night Before together. Another raunchy, Christmas-themed movie in which drugs were consumed (comically!) and things went very, very wrong. Both movies even had Jillian Bell in them. Is there still meat on those bones, or did you have a sense of "Been there, done that" with this one?

Sarah: Even if I've been there, done that, I'll go there and do that again if a movie is funny enough. Office Christmas Party does not rank up there with the funniest movies of all time, but it's still funny. I'd see it again.

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Talent has everything to do with how funny a movie is, in my opinion. Even a bad script can turn into a bucket of laughs with the right cast. Do you agree?

Britton: I agree, and I thought most of the cast in this one was pretty good, if uneven. Olivia Munn plays a "hacker" character (by which they really mean she just programs stuff) who made me cringe with her pseudo-science dialogue at first, but she grew on me as the movie went on.

A lot of the cast actually played roles that you've likely seen them in before, but they performed them well. T.J. Miller is a rich doofus with a big heart, not unlike his character in Silicon Valley on HBO (though more likable). Jason Bateman is yet again a middle-aged man who struggles to live a normal life while the crazy people around him remain crazy. And Kate McKinnon, is ... Well, let's just say it. She's freakin' awesome in everything she does.

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Sarah: KATE MCKINNON IS AWESOME.

I'll add that Vanessa Bayer plays the same role we often see her assume in Saturday Night Live skits: The hopeless romantic who can't seem to catch a break. Bayer's character actually gave me the first big laugh of the movie, when she threatened to "Gone Girl" her ex-husband. I'm going to use that.

Britton: Let's talk about those laugh out loud moments, because that's what most of these comedies boil down to, right? There were definitely some moments in Office Christmas Party when I thought the writers were trying too hard, but I definitely found myself laughing at certain bits (the "Gone Girl" joke is a good example, and I was personally found of a very talkative Uber driver). Would you say you laughed more or less than other comedies we've seen lately?

Sarah: This is one of the funnier movies we've seen this year -- but it hasn't been a great year for dumb-funny films.

There are a few rules to liking a stupid movie, and I think these rules apply to Office Christmas Party, too:

1. If there's a random fact mentioned early in the movie, you can bet that will be useful later in the thin plot. Case in point: Jennifer Aniston's bitchy boss character happens to know martial arts. Think we're gonna need a strong female for a fight later? You're right.

2. Your favorite funny actor will usually be funny (in your eyes, at least) in his or her next movie. I love Kate McKinnon on SNL and I loved her in Office Christmas Party. People who don't love her might not think she's funny in this movie.

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3. You can't get mad at the stereotypical characters. How else do you string together a comedy script? Office Christmas Party has the Indian dude who has to pay a woman to pretend to be his girlfriend; the hot female computer whiz; the frumpy coworker who ends up being awesome; the down-on-his-luck but lovable main character.

Comedies like this one are one big formula, plus some great talent. We're not winning Oscars here. But I'm not mad at it.

Jennifer Aniston and T.J. Miller in a scene from "Office Christmas Party."
Jennifer Aniston and T.J. Miller in a scene from "Office Christmas Party."(Glen Wilson / Paramount Pictures via AP)

What do you think, Britton? Would you recommend this movie, he of loftier movie taste?

Britton: Heh, you know, the way I summed it up to my wife was "That wasn't a great movie, but it was a great Peele and Blaskovich movie," meaning it's an enjoyable popcorn flick to see with those friends of yours that love dumb comedy. It's not something I would pay to see again by myself, but I enjoyed seeing it with you. And if it makes it to Netflix next year? There are plenty of worse options for holiday laughs.

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Sarah: Just one word of caution, friends of GuideLive: Lots of these actors, especially Aniston, say bad, bad words. Don't go see it this Christmas if it'll ruin your grandma's rosy impression of you.

Britton: There quite a few, ummm, "naughty bits" as well. Modern technology allows us to not only photocopy someone's butt, but also 3D print someone's, ahem, other side. Don't take your kids.

Sarah: [Giggle.]