Tuesday, August 10, 2010

good movie, bad title

I've no idea why Jay Roach decided to call his latest film, "Dinner for Schmucks," a title that wildly misrepresents the material, except that it's crass enough to get people into theaters.

But Roach's other decisions, especially his eye for casting, are spot-on because his movie is surprisingly companionable, driven by some game performances.

A reinvention of Francis Verber's bracing, shameless 1998 French farce of humiliation, "Le dîner de cons" (released here as "The Dinner Game" in 1999), Roach's comedy is essentially something of a begrudging buddy film with the usual mismatched duo - two guys who wouldn't normally be friends. It's more "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" than "The Odd Couple."

Paul Rudd and Steve Carell inherit the original Thierry Lhermitte-Jacques Villeret roles of a careerist and the dolt he intends to use to impress his boss at a party where guests bring idiots for entertainment purposes.

Rudd, ever solid and always a good sport, anchors the film with his conflicted flipflopping over the conceit. But Carell is the source of the film's heart and humor as Barry, a poor soul into mouse-oriented taxidermy and dioramas. Wearing closely-cropped red hair with short bangs and prosthetic teeth (that seem to complement a nose that itself always seems like a prosethetic), Carell resembles a rodent himself.

A truly witty touch.

But giving Carell some serious competition are Jemaine Clement, Lucy Punch and particuarly the inspired Zach Galifianakis, all playing assorted crazies - and all of whom help Roach's spiked punch go down easy.

6 comments:

Doug said...

Joe, Joe, isn't Roach the guy who coined the name Fockers? 'Nuf said.

julien l. said...

Movies like this have a long history of being derided, maligned, stereotyped and dismissed by critics. With a different, critic-approved cast and director, it would be praised as "subversive." Which it is.

Sonny said...

I generally do not like films of this ilk, but a couple friends dragged me to see it and, yes, I enjoyed it. Very funny but, not as cruel as I expected. In fact, I found it kind of romantic, the blossoming bonding between Rudd and Carell.

M. Miller said...

A great romantic comedy that says even screwed-up people can find someone, even if they are of the same sex.

Ted said...

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Elliott said...

his is a really nice review but, there are a lot
of small details you kept messing up.