How a Real-Life No Fly List Experience Inspired the Road Trip Comedy Due Date
In short: In 2008, screenwriters Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland found themselves unexpectedly grounded after being placed on the No Fly List. This frustrating personal ordeal became the creative spark for the 2010 film Due Date, a chaotic road trip comedy starring Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis.
The film follows Peter Highman, an architect desperate to reach Los Angeles for the birth of his child. His plans are derailed when he encounters Ethan Tremblay, an aspiring actor traveling with his dog. After a misunderstanding involving the words "terrorist" and "bomb" at the airport, both men are removed from their flight and added to the No Fly List. With his wallet missing and his identification gone, Peter is forced to rely on Ethan to complete his cross-country journey.
Directed by Todd Phillips, the production was a significant financial success, grossing $212 million worldwide against a $65 million budget. Despite its commercial performance, the film received mixed critical reception. Critics noted its derivative nature, often comparing it to the 1987 classic Planes, Trains and Automobiles. While Roger Ebert acknowledged that the film provided enough humor for a weekend audience, he felt it ultimately failed to develop its characters or relationships with the depth of its predecessors.
Behind the scenes, the film was marked by creative friction. During a 2010 roundtable, director Todd Phillips claimed that Robert Downey Jr. had co-written the script, a credit the Writers Guild of America ultimately denied. The film also featured a meta-joke regarding the sitcom Two and a Half Men; Ethan is an obsessive fan who eventually secures a guest spot on the show. While this scene was produced specifically for the film, the production team launched a real website, itsrainingtwoandahalfmen.com, to lean into the joke.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Due Date
- Also: Wikidata — Due Date · CC0
- Also: www.nhs.uk — Pregnancy due date calculator
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