Comedic films, like ‘Dinner for Schmucks’, are a genre where you must really like the ensemble so as you can enjoy the film itself. If there are a few in the cast where their type of comedy is not one which you generally enjoy, the movie then suffers because of it. However, there is always that silver lining that can possibly pull the move from the brink of utter disappointment into where you can at east chuckle a few times. For me, this is what happened with ‘Dinner for Schmucks’.

Being a fan of The Office I like to see how Steve Carell continues to grow as a comedic actor. I think the bumbling idiot type of character never grows old (as in Chris Farley, and vintage Jim Carey). And I was so glad that the movie centered around the innocent actions of Carell’s character. It was the type of things that you know are going to happen, but you feel bad as they happen. Of course, at the same time you are laughing at the various ridiculousness of Carell’s comedic style.

But…

Dinner for Schmucks The Basic Premise

The story of Dinner for Schmucks actually revolves around Tim (Paul Rudd) who is looking for advancement in his investment firm. However, in order to do that he must abide by some crazy dinner rules to evaluate executives. This “Dinner for Shmucks” then is how Rudd’s character meets up with Barry (Carell). A rather odd person, but one that you want to like.

As the story progresses, and Barry continues to wreck everything in Tim’s life, the dinner date gets closer and closer. Included in all of these mishaps is the usual girlfriend who is upset by the things going on, the complex series of events that are set off in a chain reaction, the crazy characters that are met along the way, and the torment within the main character over whether they should do the right thing or not.

While the plot is “cookie-cutter” in form it does leave you with some laughs and enjoyment.

Dinner For Schmucks The Downfall

What really keeps me from completely enjoying this movie is not the “cookie-cutter” plot, or the fact that Paul Rudd is yet again the main character. What really keeps this movie from scoring very high on my “must see again” meter is the forced issue of having Zach Galifianakis within the story line as an acquaintance (and nemesis) of Barry. It just didn’t work. At least for me. Of course, I’m not a fan of Galifianakis so that may play a large part of my troubles with this section of story.

The whole thing just seemed forced to me as if the writers, and director Jay Roach, wanted to add another comedic element. They really didn’t need to do that.

Dinner for Schmucks is Saved by Carell

Which leads me to my opening statements. The movie is saved by the presence of Carell. It is what kept me from turning it off and moving on to another. Would I watch it again? Probably not, but it was good enough to laugh.

If you’re looking for a Steve Carell movie for a night at home, then pick up Dinner for Schmucks. It is good for a laugh or two.

In the realm of “buddy” movies that involve a road trip, there are several instant classic hits. Due Date, which stars Robert Downey Jr. (Ironman) and Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover), was dubbed as the next great buddy movie that involved a cross country road trip.

Sadly, it didn’t turn out that way.

There were some moments where I thought Due Date was going to start getting funny, but was let down again and left with an empty 95 minutes of my life.

In the tradition of hilarious road trip movies such as Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, Tommy Boy, The Blues Brothers, Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle, Dumb & Dumber, and even the cult classic Beavis & Butthead Do America stand head and shoulders above Due Date.

Due Date – A Quick Look

The movie had tremendous appeal for audiences because of the once again wildly popular Robert Downey Jr. and the mildly amusing Zach Galifianakis. Downey Jr. plays Peter Highman who is a highly strung architect who is in Atlanta at the time when his wife is getting near the date to deliver their first child. Hence, the name Due Date. He is tasked with the mission of going home to L.A. after a business meeting. This would not be any problem, except for the introduction of Ethan Tremblay (Galifianakis) into the story line.

From there things get progressively worse from being kicked off the flight they are both on to crashing the rental car off a bridge, one of them getting shot after being detained at the US/Mexican border.

As I said, tremendous appeal. It should have been a non-stop laugh fest. However, the laughs were very few and very forced at times. I actually felt like I had to laugh at certain points because the situation supposedly called for it.

Due Date – The Acting

I am not quite sure where the movie went wrong. With the power of both Downey Jr. and Galifianakis in the picture it should have been on par with Tommy Boy and Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. The only problem with that is the lack of chemistry between the two was painfully evident.

Chris Farley and David Spade were made to act together. Everything they did turned into comedic gold. The same thing with John Candy and Steve Martin. They made those top “buddy” movies special because they were special together.

Downey Jr. and Galifianakis were not.

It’s not that they did a bad job of acting. They just didn’t go a good job together.

Due Date – The Comedic Element

As is the case with many movies the movie trailers and teasers make the movies seem much better than they actually are.

I was looking forward to this movie as the trailers were put together in such a way that they made you laugh. But, when you put the scenes in the context of the movie… the laughter just wasn’t there.

The comedy seemed forced as the relationship between the two characters were forced because of their situation.

Due Date – The Good

In every movie there has to be some good in it. I don’t care if it is the worse movie in the history of movies… there has to be at least one scene, one word, one moment where something good happens.

Jamie Foxx provides this with his appearance as Peter’s friend in Texas. Without giving any spoilers it involved a truck, Tremblay in the back, and speeding over large bumps in the road. I actually did laugh at that moment.

Due Date – The Verdict

If you are a fan of either one of these actors you might just find enjoyment in that alone. But, if you are looking for a good comedic movie… keep looking.

But…. if you want to waste 95 minutes of your life…

Click here to get the Due Date [Blu-ray]

Now that was fun!

I just watched Zombieland at my local theater the other day and have to say that I haven’t enjoyed a movie this much in a while. The combination of Woody Harrelson, zombies, and a lot of running and screaming has just too much going for it that it is hard not to like it.

After a summer of a lot of serious movies, and big blockbusters, it is nice to see one come out that is just for fun. Not having a huge budget for this movie, I wasn’t expecting a lot of over the top explosions or action scenes. But, I was expecting to see some zombies and Harrelson being, well… Woody Harrelson.

Zombieland Is A Great Ride!

There are two different stories going on within the movie. Well, I guess you could say that there are really three storylines if you count the quest of Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) to lose his virginity. Anyway, you have Tallahassee (Harrelson) looking to find one more Twinkie, and two sisters, Wichita and Little Rock (played by Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin) trying to get to an amusement park that is suppose to be zombie free. During the entire movie it felt like you were the one on an amusement park ride.

It was a lot of fun. I sat there and had several parts of out loud laughter. It was only a little bit into the movie when I realized that I wasn’t the only one laughing. The rest of the theater was also laughing. There is just something about watching a great movie with a bunch of people who also know that they are watching a great movie. It makes the whole experience much better. It was like we were all on the same ride together.

How Zombieland Was Good

Right off the bat it is two different things that make Zombieland a great movie. The first is Woody Harrelson. The second is zombies. Put the two together and you have one amazing movie! Woody Harrelson has been in some very good movies, while also some incredible bombs. I am so glad that Zombieland was one of the good ones. His character is one that adds a lot to the movie and I can’t think of anyone else who could do as well (Bruce Willis perhaps?).

Plus any movie with zombies is worth watching. Even 28 Days Later was decent because of the zombies.

The movie also had a storyline that, while was a little dumb at the very core of it, provided a sense of “Ok, sure.” attitude. What I mean by that is this; the end of civilization has just occurred and the only thing that these people can think of is a Twinkie and going to an amusement park. Yes, staying alive, but there was something else to it. Something that other zombie movies don’t have. This story added to the entire movie and I actually found myself rooting for Tallahassee to get that stupid Twinkie!

Even the cameo appearance by Bill Murray was pretty good.

How Zombieland Could Have Been Better

Not much I can put here. The acting was good. The story was passable. The comedy was funny. And the ending was pretty cool. I actually clapped my hands!

One thing I would have changed, but this is just me personally, is get someone to play the sniveling little wimp that Jesse Eisenberg plays. His character, Columbus, is just plain irritating. I found myself wishing he would get eaten by one of the zombies near the end. But, again, that’s probably just me. I guess you could have also had a little more suspense in it, but that would have taken away from the ride that Zombieland is.

Zombieland Trailer

Watch Zombieland At Theaters If You Can

There are some movies that you just have to see at the theaters. Zombieland is one of them. I really don’t think that you would get the same experience, or even perspective, of the movie if you wait for DVD. If you have a little bit of time, and it is playing near you, I would recommend going out and checking it out.

Zombieland Movie Clip

In a movie world that is full of comedic actors that make their living with raunchy exploits, and relying on vintage music and one liners, Jack Black stands quite near the top. In his latest DVD release, Year One, Black gives us a raunchy romp through the first year of the Earth. Using Biblical characters like Cain and Abel, as well as places such as Soddom and the Garden of Eden, Year One can get a few chuckles out of you.

Every since I first saw Jack Black in The Cable Guy as ‘Rick’, I knew that this was someone that I would have to watch. Lending his comedic funnyman antics to several more movies over the year, I was pretty excited to watch a movie where he could once again take the lead. I loved Shallow Hal and School of Rock. They showed what Black can do when he is at his best. Some of the others like Nacho Libre and Tropic Thunder showed him at his worst. One thing is certain. When you do see a Jack Black movie you will get a little chuckle, even when you don’t want to. Year One is one of those movies. I found myself watching it and laughing to myself, quite a few times, at some of the rude antics that Zed (Black) and Oh (Michael Cera) develop through the movie.

What I Liked About Year One

First of all it was funny. When a movie it being promoted as being a funny comedy, I want to laugh. Year One delivers in this department. There are several instances when the lines, the action, and both combined delivered either a light chuckle or out loud laugh.

I also liked the flow of the movie. For me, this is an important part of any movie. It must flow and keep the action moving. For a comedy, and a Harold Ramis film, it isn’t choppy or dead in a lot of spots. It just smoothly moves along to the next scene or antic.

The performances of some of the actors was also very good. For those who really like Jack Black, this is vintage Black. This is probably the best we’ve seen him in a long time. I appreciated that. I didn’t want to be let down again. He came back down to earth and gave a great performance. Oliver Platt also did a great job as the High Priest (or Priestess if you so prefer). Also included in this list should be Olivia Wilde (House), and even David Cross as Cain.

What I Didn’t Like

While there were some great performances in this movie, I have to say that there were those that were equally bad. I must say, at the front of this, that I am not a Mike Cera fan. He just doesn’t do a lot for anything I’ve seen him in. His characters are always dull and I just want to reach into the screen and smash him with a sledgehammer. So, you can guess where I am going with this in regards to him playing Oh in Year One. It was sadly phathetic.

They also had to stick in a small appearance by Paul Rudd. Any movie that needs to do this is acting desperate in my opinion to try and stick in cameos. Not being a big fan of his in anyway, it kind of ruined it for me. Although seeing him get bashed with a rock made it a little better.

Year One Movie Trailer

Year One Is Great For A Few Laughs

For the most part, the movie is pretty good. It is a typical Jack Black comedy so do not expect a whole lot in the way of storyline, plot, or dramatic moments. You are going to get adult type comedy coupled with overt sexuality. However, the bottom line of Year One is that you will laugh.

Year One Movie Clip

Sean William Scott and Paul Rudd in Role Models

The story is ok as far a slacker comedy goes. Two guys, Danny and Wheeler (played by Paul Rudd and Sean William Scott), work as a team of energy drink salesmen who travel to different schools and do anti-drug presentations in order to steer the impressionable teens towards their ‘Minotaur’ energy drink. They get into trouble and are sentenced to serving 150 hours as ‘bigs’ to a couple of ‘littles’ at a Big Brothers like organization that pairs up kids with people who will spend time with them. During this 150 hours you have the usual banter, useless comedic moments, sex, ups and downs, and eventually a heart warming ending.

The usual slacker comedy type of story.

And I would have been fine with this type of storyline, even including the real life medieval role-playing angle, but…

When you have a movie with the comedic likes of both Paul Rudd and Sean William Scott you just expect more. I was really looking for another Stiffler type performance from Scott and Rudd is, most of the time, pretty solid as far as a comedic side-kick is concerned. The thing is, they just didn’t deliver.

Scott seemed to try and be too grown up so his jokes and raunchy behavior came off as forced and uncomfortable. Rudd was just plain boring. That may have been his character, but it was a little bit nauseating.

That doesn’t mean there wasn’t any highlights to the movie. There are some pretty good laugh-to-yourself type moments (I didn’t once laugh out loud) and a few of those “What the _________!” type areas where they just pull something out of thin air that you’re not expecting.

The director of the “Sturdi Wings” organization that Danny and Wheeler are sentenced to serve their community service hours, played by Jane Lynch, is also one of those bright spots. She is quite disturbed and, while I didn’t like her at the beginning, she did grow on you and had a few of those laugh-to-yourself moments.

Role Models definitely deserves its R rating for the language. I don’t know about little kids swearing worse than the adult actors, and there are some scenes of nudity. Definitely not one for the young ones.

Role Models Final Conclusion

As I said, the movie isn’t bad enough to not like, nor is it good enough to really like. Movies like American Pie, Superbad, and Clerks are much better as far as this type of comedy is concerned. I said in this post I was really expecting a lot of laugh out loud moments, but was disappointed when that didn’t happen.

I did like it. I just didn’t love it. If you are a fan of this type of movie, useless, slacker comedy, then Role Models is something you’re going to want to see. If you’re already borderline for these types of movies, then you might want to skip this one.

I’m going to sit down tonight with the Sean William Scott, Paul Rudd movie Role Models. This is the latest in what could be called a slacker comedy (think of American Pie, 40 Year Old Virgin, Superbad, etc.).

Two things are drawing me to this movie. One, I love Sean William Scott. I think he has a great gift to act in these kinds of movies and he wasn’t really half bad in The Rundown either. Two, I kind of like these types of movies. They aren’t trying to be something that they’re not. Useless comedy that is just there to make you laugh. Pure and simple.

You really don’t learn anything from these types of movies and there usually isn’t really a point to anything going on. It’s just useless comedy. An escape.

Anyway, I’m going to be checking it out tonight. I’m not expecting anything earth shattering, but hopefully it’s going to be funny with a few out loud laughs.

Here’s the trailer to see what it’s about…

Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott star in Role Models as Danny and Wheeler, two salesmen who trash a company truck on an energy drink-fueled bender. Upon their arrest, the court gives them a choice: do hard time or spend 150 hours with a mentorship program. After one day with the kids, however, jail doesn’t look half bad.