My Movie Review: Dinner for Schmucks

My Movie Review: Dinner for Schmucks
2.5/5


Opening Statement: Based on the French film "Le Diner de Cons" Dinner for Schmucks is the story of Tim (Paul Rudd) your average businessman trying to get promoted. In order to get the promotion he seeks he must attend a dinner his bosses schedule where the make fun of idiots. Tim debates if this is morally right before he runs into Barry (Steve Carrell) a dimwitted man who specializes in turning dead mice into works of art.


What's Good: First of all, it is funny. At times it is even hilarious. I have to say the best thing about this film is the characters and the actors who play them. Directed by Jay Roach the master mind behind "Meet the Parents" who stays within the same type of comedy as those films. Paul Rudd does well as Tim, you really care about this nice character who is trying to maintain his cool while the world is collapsing around him. At time the humor gets brutally awkward and you can't help but laugh. The most noteworthy performance is obviously Steve Carrell as Barry, the schmuck. Carrell makes this character incredibly silly, but at the same time warm hearted with good intensions. I really came to like these characters.


What's Bad: The movie comes up as average. You will laugh, you will talk about like two scenes for a week. Then it will vanish off the radar. It is hard for me to criticize Roach for lack of creativity when he is being so mindful by staying in his comfort zone.  There is just so much more that could've been done with these awesome characters. There is nothing really that bad about "Dinner for Schmucks" only that it makes a goal of an average comedy, and achieves it. 


The Rant: I'm not too wired about anything in particular. However I do want to point out that the trailers might be a little deceiving. It makes the film seem primarily about making fun of the schmucks and acts as that is the only source of comedy. It is not the Schmuck we are laughing at, but the situations the Schmuck causes. At times the film does make you laugh at the Schmuck. A lot of critics accused this as an "identity crisis." Roach's approach seemed more about dragging the mean business executive type out of us. So it's not that i'm angry that the critics accused it of this, however I think it would all be easier if we knew Roach's motive.


Consensus: "Dinner for Schmucks" strikes the average comedy. The same old Jay Roach material.