Dinner for Schmucks

Dinner for Schmucks (2010)
Directed by Jay Roach
Length: 114 minutes
Rated PG-13 for sequences of crude and sexual content, some partial nudity and language





Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, and a strong supporting cast in a comedy? Sign me up! Unfortunately what looked like a strong comedic effort on paper didn't quite live up to its billing. Certainly there are plenty of laughs to be had, but for a movie that centers around the infamous dinner for idiots, the movie starts slowly and relies too heavily on the performance of Carell in particular.

Resident smart-ass Paul Rudd (How Do You Know, Wanderlust) is Tim, a financial analyst seeking a promotion by bringing an unsuspecting idiot to a dinner for his bosses to ridicule. Like a sign from God, Tim literally runs into an idiot - with his Porsche, mind you. As an IRS agent by trade and a taxidermist who recreates popular paintings and scenes with dead mice, Barry played by Steve Carell (Despicable Me; Crazy, Stupid, Love) is the perfect schmuck for the dinner. And the perfect person for this movie.

As the destructive tornado that threatens to wreck Tim's life due to his absolute oblivion, Steve Carell as Barry is the pulse of the movie and frankly the saving grace. The first ten minutes of the film feels listless and pointless, but the second Carell enters the screen the movie truly begins to flourish a he balances the right amount of stupidity with heart. I have been a big fan of Rudd's over his last few films, but this is one of his worst performances to date. Whether the result of bad writing, bad character, or simply bad acting, Rudd's character is dull and disconnected, while Carell is charming in a strange way.

Helping Carell along the way is Jemaine Clement (Predicament, Men in Black III) as Kieran, a narcissistic artist that seeks to embrace the animal side of life. While Carell is certainly the star of the show, Clement's character only adds to the laughs, especially when the two are employed together. Additionally strong in a supporting role is Zach Galifianakis (Due Date, It's Kind of a Funny Story) as Therman, Barry's psychic co-worker. Galifianakis's role in The Hangover may be more memorable, but the faux-turtleneck wearing Therman has his moments.

Amazingly, for a movie centered around the titular dinner, the scene is relatively short and one of the weaker moments. The bottom-line is no one will consider this a modern classic, like Tropic Thunder or The 40 Year Old Virgin. But there are plenty of laughs. What may have been a disappointment of a movie still features memorable roles by the likes of Carell and Clement. Ultimately, save your money and way for the DVD release or cable debut. The laughs will still be there and a lot cheaper. And cheaper things are certainly easier to appreciate even if they lack in certain areas.

Final Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote:
Kieran: "Do you have any idea what it's like Tim, to be up to your elbow in a zebra's vagina?"
Tim: "No."
Kieran: "You should try it Tim, it's magical!"