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Carell, Rudd, and a strong supporting cast save DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS from sinking under the weight of its own running time!!!
Hey, everyone. Capone in Chicago here.
After being in a string of high-profile uproariously funny comedies since 2004's ANCHORMAN (including THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN, KNOCKED UP, FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL, ROLE MODELS, and I LOVE YOU MAN, all of which made me pee my pants from laughing so hard), Rudd has made a film that maybe doesn't feature the gut-twisting belly laughs of old, but still had me giggling non-stop for the better part of two hours. The feat probably would not have been possible without a handful of laser-sharp comedic performances led by Steve Carell (Rudd's ANCHORMAN and VIRGIN co-star), who is trying harder than any other human being would have to make us laugh, with mostly positive results.
DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS is a sugar-coated remake of THE DINNER GAME, one of darkest, nastiest French comedies ever made. In the original, the character played by Rudd is a true master in the art of being an asshole. In Schmucks, Rudd's Tim is, well, quite Ruddian. He's a genuinely nice guy, who has a lovely girlfriend (Stephanie Szostak) he thinks is too good for him. He's living beyond his means and is fighting at his investment firm to climb the corporate ladder and get a significant pay raise.
When opportunity knocks thanks to a key presentation made to his boss (STAR TREK's Bruce Greenwood), Tim is invited to a dinner at the boss' house, during which each guest brings one remarkable idiot (mimes are not allowed--too cliche). The man who brings the best moron is the winner. Tim begrudgingly agrees to participate and fortunately runs into Barry (Carell), an IRS auditor whose hobby is constructing dioramas of famous paintings or scenes in history using costumed dead mice as the characters. Watching Barry construct these results in some the film's most incredible moments, seriously. And bringing him to this dinner seems like a sure-fire win for Tim.
Through a series of overloaded contrivances, Tim and Barry end up spending a couple days together during some of Tim's most important life turning points. There are troubles with the girlfriend; he's having trouble landing an important client; and a woman he slept with three years earlier is still stalking him. Let's focus on that plot point, if we may. I'm a big, big fan of British comic actress Lucy Punch, who plays the stalkerish one-night-stand Darla, but watching her play a character so ridiculous took me right out of the movie at light speed. Those scenes simply don't work. Schmucks is sparingly peppered with moments like that, and the cumulative effect is that it waters down what could have been a much better film. I still liked what I saw, but there are two or three key sequences where you can feel the life and fun draining from the screen.
Not that there's any point in assigning blame for this shortfall, but not a single person in this movie isn't giving it their all, including the remarkable Jemaine Clement ("Flight of the Conchords) as the self-obsessed artist Kieran. Words cannot describe how great this man is in this movie, and the moments with him and Carell are my favorite in the film. Also quite good is Zach Galifianakis (THE HANGOVER) as Barry's co-worker, the man who stole his wife, and a master of mind control (which is different than brain control, I learned from this movie). I have a sneaking suspicion that if you just leave Zach alone in a room, funny things will happen. That's kind of what this is. And when the film does finally roll around the the actual dinner, the laughs are almost non-stop. The final 30 minutes or so of DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS make a lot of the film's ills a whole lot easier to handle.
Back to that blame thing, if I may. The screenplay from David Guion and Michael Handelman (co-writers on the terrible Zach Braff movie THE EX) is weak; there's no getting around that. You can almost feel director Jay Roach (the AUSTIN POWERS trilogy and the first two MEET THE PARENTS movies) taking the skeleton story of said weak script, throwing it to the actors, and saying, "Do something with that." And for the most part, they rise to the occasion. As much as you might assume Rudd takes on the straight man role in DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS, that's not exactly the case. His reactions to Carell and the other fools that cross his path are as much a part of what makes us laugh as the more outward elements of humor. They are few actors that can pull that off as convincingly as Rudd, and that's probably why he's so beloved. Amen.
DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS is far from the funniest movie of the summer (I may have seen that the same day I went to the SCHMUCKS screening; more on that later in the month), but it has enough to keep a smile on your face for the duration, and it's enough of a satisfying placeholder for Rudd fans until the end of the year when we find out what he does in his collaboration with James L. Brooks and Jack Nicholson in EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT.
-- Capone
capone@aintitcool.com
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It looks so pretentious from the commercials.
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...to figure out what the other, possible funniest movie ofthe year may be. Other Guys?
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too many hilarious actors in this for it to fail, but it's inevitably gonna be a pale imitation of the darker original.did they keep the shot of the little vampire's genitalia, though?
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I love Rudd, and Carrell is a bit hit-or-miss (often tries WAY too hard), but I'm going into this with low LOW expectations based on what I've seen so far....and Galifianakis better enjoy his 15 minutes. If the (humorless) trailer for DUE DATE is any indication, his popularity will be short-lived.
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because every Will Ferrell joke we've seen from that is just his same old schtick... and I stress the OLD partbut I don't really know of any other comedies coming out, unless he considers Scott Pilgrim a comedy.
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but of course the masses will, thats why this movie exists.
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where Zach Galifianakis isn't funny, and a comedy about bringing crazy people to dinner with 'schmucks' in the title is "pretentious".I swear, you couldn't make this shit up.
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...because it couldn't possibly hold a candle to the original French film.
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was he funny in The Hangover? yeah of course, though there were as many jokes that flopped as ones that worked. But the Due Date trailer has not a single laugh in it, and he's basically trying to play the same character, which is gonna get old REAL quick.
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paul rudd is the guy you want to be best friends with. simple as that. nice guy. a total smart ass. definitely going to get into some trouble with him but probably nothing that will land you in jail.
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if the only thing you know Galifianakis from is The Hangover and one trailer, that's unfortunate.and of course he's playing weird characters, look at him! were you hoping he'd get the lead role in Eastwood's J. Edgar Hoover movie?just because you only know him from a movie and a trailer, where he plays similar characters, doesn't mean...well...anything. he's a hilarious comedian, and he's a hilarious comic actor. we'll see how quickly his "15 minutes" dissipate. oh god, I just realized that you implied half the jokes in the hangover flopped. never mind, I thought I was dealing with someone with at least a small sense of humor.forget I said anything. hate away, kiddo!
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Check out his stand up where he does the comedian from 1776 or his vodka ads with tim and eric. This is just the first time anyone has noticed him. Does no one remember out cold?
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Zach G is hilarious. to me, he WAS the hangover. i didnt mean for a hostile tone. sorry, both my parents died a couple ago. watch this if you need proof. http://tinyurl.com/2h46j7
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This would have been a thumbs up for ninety minutes. But no, it's almost exactly two hours long.
It seems ever since Judd started making all his 2 and a half hour comedies you can't get away with just making a movie ninety-a hundred minutes. -
Get "The Dinner Game" on DVD. They seem to have made it much more complicated than the original.
I was thinking Zach might be good as Ignatius O'Reilly if they ever make "A Confederacy Of Dunces". -
Jul 30, 2010 5:58:07 AM CDT
Galifianakis is that guy who smokes so much weed he thinks...
by yackbacker
...that he's fucking hilarious. I knew a guy like this in high school. He was a fat, lame mess of a person.
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I haven't seen the original French movie, but I'm sure this movie is tame as tame can be. And I'm cool with Paul Rudd in it. Steve Carell has gone the way of Will Ferrell or Steve Martin. He's great on The Office, but something happened to him and he's horrible in movies now. He was funny in Bruce Almighty. He was funny in Anchorman. After that, garbage. For some reason Steve thinks if you talk really loud or scream, it's funny. Him and Will Ferrell both have taken a huge dive in the quality of their movies. I think it's because a lot of comedic actors today improves too much. Now, I have no problem with improvising in movies, but when you do it too much, you see the actor trying too hard to be funny. It's almost like everyone is trying to steal scenes. And I think that hurts a lot of comedies. I think if someone else was playing Carell's character, it might've been a better movie. I think I speak for a lot of people when I say, I'll wait for the DVD.
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is it weight loss or dating? both? fuck you"..where ourself control the dating."did you just fall out of a Russian cave and start a dating/weight loss site.kill yourself
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Mind you, I'm not yet necessarily sick of Cera seemingly playing small variations on the same person in every movie, but I do just wonder if many people aren't starting to feel the same way about Zach at this point. Seems any time I see him appear in a trailer the last couple years he's pretty much the same guy all the time.
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What I've come to learn from AICN talkbacks over the years, only approx 14 people are allowed to like something before it becomes lame. Hell I remember seeing Zach as one of (the about 5) different opening acts for Janeana Garofalo the one and only time I went to The Improv when I lived in LA (like 2001 so NOBODY outside that town knew who he was, and not a ton there did either), his whole act was on the piano, I thought he was a riot, and anyone I started running into around after that that was familiar with him thought likewise. That he was really genuinely talented and funny. But, within the last 2-3 years at least a couple dozen people started to like him and think he was cool, so the official fanboy stance naturally had to become that he was unfunny and only worth insulting.
When will we ever learn. Only the geeks are allowed to fully love and appreciate something. -
Stay far the fuck away from this steaming pile
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Invest in adult diapers if those pillars of mediocrity had you losing bladder control
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Bad writing? Directing? studios? All of these?
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working today. Just the way he delivers the line: "I don't know the number for the taxi company" in I Love You, Man will tell you that!
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"Fuck you, dyke!"
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Did I see 1/2 of Little Britain duo in the trailer? About time they get some Hollywood money, they're hilarious.
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...is that he proves actors can be funny without screeching like a howler monkey or being really fat and running around in their underwear.
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Cyrus earns its laughs. The rare comedy where nobody acts idiotic and their motives actually make sense. You totally buy that John C. Reilly would be willing to deal with Jonah Hill because Marisa Tomei is worth it. A smart movie that easily could have been broad and predictable.
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I think his appeal is that he comes off as a nice guy in interviews which wins people over but if you look at his roles its more misses than hits. Paul Rudd is just, idunno... there. This looks like people trying way to hard to act odd... something tells me to miss this and wait for the Other Guys.
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I saw this film at a press screening about a week ago. My expectations were really low because, honestly, as much as I usually like Paul Rudd, I haven't really laughed out loud at a Carrell film since 40 Year Old Virgin. I'd go so far to say that Date Night and Get Smart weren't really worth the money you'd spend on a rental fee. Capone's pretty close to dead on though with his assessment though. The supporting characters in this movie are pretty hillarious. I wouldn't give Zach Galifianakis as much credit as he does. I think his schtick in this movie isn't really much more than occasionally giggle provoking and, aside from the Hangover, he hasn't impressed me much with anything else I've seen him in. Lucy Punch was alright, her character seemed more geared toward ratcheting up the level of awkward tension in any scene she was a part of. But Jermaine Clement almost steals the movie and Steve Carrell does an amazingly effective job of playng a total idiot with an organic honesty that's never unbelievable and allows for some depth to the character. The awkward uncomfortable moments in this film reminded me a lot of Roach's first Meet the Parents film. The last 30 minutes are hysterical. I haven't seen Cyrus yet so I can't comment on whether or not it ranks as the top comedy of the summer but, if you liked Meet the Parents and flicks like Dumb and Dumber and What About Bob then you'll probably really dig this. I enjoyed it a lot and I think most of the jokes would hold up pretty well in another viewing. The previews don't really do it justice.
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I do not think that word means what you think it means....
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I like him better when he plays it more straight, ala 40 Year Old Virgin. I think he'd be a great straight-man to someone else's fool. He can play the fool well enough, but it's too easy for him and we all know it.
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she's a squirter
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What a fuckin' awesome character.
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...and 'overloaded contrivances' is the best way to describe this flick. Sitcom humor is another. Carell forces himself into Rudd's life for no apparent reason and it goes to hell immediately. Who would have thought? What an odd couple! Yawn. The whole time you can't help but think... why doesn't Rudd just kick his stupid ass out? Nah, let's keep the stranger who at every turn fucks up your life sleep on the couch. Did Roach just turn on the camera and let Carell and Rudd improv? If that's the best he captured... fuck. The dinner is right at the end, and only 10 minutes at best. Even Rudd shows up late for the damn thing. It's hardly worth the wait.Galifianakis has a few minutes of screentime and he makes the most of it. Over-the-top, and not in a hilarious 'Hangover' way. There's no reason to like Rudd or Carell, or for them to like each other. It's a less enjoyable 'What About Bob?' Blind guy sword fight was the only big laugh.
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Good call on the Darla character. Isn't it crazy she sent an IM right when Carell was at the computer? What a wacky situation! Sitcom style.
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Is not funny. Cyrus is actually just not a good movie. Not sure what I think about this movie.
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laugh going into this. PLEASE be funny.
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Fingers crossed it is.
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and Zack is comedy. laugh out loud comedy. this movie will have the laughs.
and i never saw the pure oh so beloved french film but i have seen french films and comedy is not usually their strength.
and the french didn't have Jemaine. dude is funny. enjoy him now before you decide to hate him later, because.. -
All those crazy stunts and the humor was funny.
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Great performance. Oscar worthy?
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Not very funny
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Jane Lynch. Every line reading very funny. Playing with the taco-dog...Bobb'e J Thompson, most evil child ever.Cosplay has got to be very much like that.And although it sounds like it could have come from a stand up routine, Rudd's take on Starbuck's sizes was sorely needed.
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Very enjoyable. You can see plot developments coming from miles away but I laugh every time I see it.
And A.D. Miles steals every scene he's in. "Love take me down to the streets..." -
Not to be released for like four months but I have see some oddly timed TV promos in the last few weeks...
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Wait for video. Save your cash.
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than 90-100 minutes. Soooooooooo sick of 2 hour+ comedies. Just reeks of self-indulgence, is an earmark of poor editing, and becomes a snooze fest. The audience is not there to see some compelling character arc, they just want to laugh their asses off!Having said that, there are exceptions to every rule (i.e. The Blues Brothers).
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If I want to laugh, I still pop in National Lampoon's Vacation (even the second one, 'new looks', Eric Idle spurting blood, "oink, oink, we'll be pigs"), Trading Places, What About Bob?, Ghostbusters, Captain Ron, The Burbs... shit like that... fuck me, even Spies Like Us. I don't know, there's something forced and unfunny and cynical about the way people like Carrell, Rogen, Rudd, and ESPECIALLY Galifianakis try to get laughs... the humor always comes out of a place that, don't get me wrong, I found it funny once but after a while it's the same shit over and over and just becomes grating. Guess I'm just getting old, cause clearly this shit is funny to the younger generation.
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There are some things to laugh about in this movie.
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Not sure what I was thinking by seeing that. Carrell does sort of save it, but Rudd is unbelievably dull and the screenplay really just sputters from desperate idea to desperate idea. I think Roach really can't direct - he can just assemble funny people.
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The wife and I saw this tonight. Several reviewers didn't like it, but we took a chance...because of Rudd and Carell. Holy crap...we laughed much of the movie and got silly at a late dinner after recalling some great bits. To be sure, there were some painful moments. Darla's first bit was a waste, but her second appearance was actually good. We felt that some of the bits were purposely jarring to get a humorous rebound in a later scene. Oh, if you do go, stay for the credits. "A mind is a terrible thing!"
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Said that the dinner scene was good. Jesus that crap ruined the whole movie. Zach G was awful as well. Also terribly underused David Williams is what makes this movie blow. Williams is probably the funniest thing Britain has given us since Cleese. Also he's nuttier then shit, and he has such a nothing role in this. At least the Eagle Vs. Shark guy was good. Carrel is the only aspect better then the original.
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Took forever to get around to " the dinner" (which is when i walked out) and by that point I only laughed a few times. It had all the ingredients but this was lacking Adam McKay or Judd Apatow to really steer this thing IMO
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I've never walked out on a film, but this one had me contemplating it. Most of the laughs seemed to play to the "paul blart: mall cop" crowd. There was nothing witty or smart about the writing, and the ending was telegraphed from about minute six. I'd recommend this movie to either someone who's functionally challenged or a blind/deaf/mute
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Sorry Steve, but you will never be funnier than Michael Scott.
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I remember seeing Pegg interviewed and he was saying how adamant he was about making a two hour movie and that's what he wanted Hot Fuzz to be. Well, that film would have benfited from being somewhat shorter.
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in its 3rd week no less. Perhaps if it had an Imax release?
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