Steve Carell and Tina Fey are both very funny people, and it would seem that a film combining their comedic talents would be a welcome addition to multiplexes.

And while Carell and Fey both manage to squeeze way more laughs out of “Date Night” than anyone should, the project proves to be just a little flat – almost too conventional for this unconventional duo.

The premise is simple: Carell and Fey are Phil and Claire Foster, a New Jersey couple caught in the ho-hum, everyday life of the suburbs.

One night the couple decide to go to New York City for a romantic evening at a fancy restaurant. Once there, they take the reservations of another couple – only to get mixed up in a cover-up that involves corrupt cops, a mobster and other assorted bad guys.

The idea of “Date Night” is to build humor off these normal people in abnormal situations. Unfortunately, Josh Klausner’s script doesn’t provide many laughs. Instead, this is a film where the laughs come despite the story, with Carell and Fey using improv during the film’s best moments.

A few inspired cameos – especially Mark Wahlberg as a special ops guy who helps the Fosters, along with James Franco and Mila Kunis as the couple at the center of all the problems – help the film, but for the most part “Date Night” never quite meshes.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad film by any means, but it is probably one that is best viewed during late night reruns on basic cable. At least then you can skip past the dull parts.

DVD dandy of the week

This week’s dandy is “Crazy Heart” (B), featuring an Academy Award-winning performance from Jeff Bridges.

Bridges plays Bad Blake, a faded country music singer living out of his beat-up truck, going from small gig to small gig.

When Blake is interviewed by a younger reporter named Jean (Maggie Gyllenhaal), the two strike up a relationship and Blake reassesses his dysfunctional life, determined to start fresh.

But the blossoming romance quickly sours, with Blake realizing that perhaps change isn’t as easy as he expected.

There are some true moments of vulnerability in Bridges’ performance that provide the strength for “Crazy Heart.” Bridges was the perfect choice for the role, and it is a credit to his work that the film succeeds despite some major flaws.

The plot was a bit manipulative and I still don’t quite buy into Gyllenhaal’s character, who has to be one of the worst depictions of a journalist in recent memory.

Even with those problems, “Crazy Heart” is worth your time, just to see Bridges work his onscreen magic.

“Crazy Heart” is rated R for language and brief sexuality and will be available Tuesday on DVD.

— To get sportswriter/movie reviewer Micheal Compton’s up-to-the minute thoughts on all things movies, visit his blog at mcompton.wordpress.com or his Twitter page at twitter.com/mcompton428. You can also e-mail him at mcompton@bgdailynews.com.