‘Reacher’s Alan Ritchson Takes a Beating With “Ashamed” Rotten Tomatoes Reviews of His New Hit Action Comedy

Ritchson has proven that he can act, and not just with his fists. Aside from his towering performance as Jack Reacher – which he will return to in 2026 – Ritchson has recently received plenty of praise for his roles in movies like Ordinary Angels and Motor City, but with his comedic turn in Playdate, many critics believe he should have turned down the invitation. The synopsis for the movie reads:

“When recently unemployed accountant Brian (Kevin James) agrees to a playdate with charismatic stay-at-home dad Jeff (Alan Ritchson) and their sons, he expects an easy afternoon of small talk and football tossing. Instead, he’s thrust into a chaotic scramble to stay alive as they are pursued by a ruthless team of mercenaries. Brian stumbles through one ridiculous obstacle after another, his zero tactical skills a stark contrast to Jeff’s oddly prepared demeanor.”

Comedy movies have always been incredibly subjective, and Playdate is proof that nothing has changed in that respect. However, it is clear that critics have mostly felt nothing but contempt for the film in every possible respect. Andrew Parker of The Gate notes that the movie “gives content a bad name” as it is not an enjoyable movie but just “something that happens to you.” ScreenRant’s Gregory Nussen calls the film “regressive” and says it “drowns in dated machoism.” Meanwhile, Blu-ray.com’s Brian Orndorf really goes to town, saying:

“It’s just a noisy, ugly offering of uninspired stupidity that struggles with performances, editing, dramatic structure, and themes… an awful, awful movie.”

What Do Audiences Think of Alan Ritchson’s ‘Playdate’?

And here is where the slightly positive news comes in. Playdate may have been a complete washout for critics, but the film is performing well on Prime Video despite receiving divided opinions from those who have watched it. The film’s Popcornmeter sits at 53% at the time of writing…and it is steadily climbing.

“Perfect buddy movie,” one review reads, while another notes that, after a weak start, “it picked up and with all that’s going on in the world, this was a great, goofy escape.” A third review praised Ritchson and James’ on-screen chemistry as “just adding to the fun of the movie.” However, others were not impressed by the film’s PG-13 rating, slamming it as an “adult movie” and being “ashamed of what PG-13 movies are coming to” with too much swearing and violence.” Another review simply blasted the film as “being written by a 12-year-old using AI!”

We can’t all like everything, and while Playdate is proving to be a fun escape for some, others are clearly feeling like the kid in the corner who just wants to go home. You can check it out on Prime Video and see for yourself which side of the stair gate you stand on.