Directed by:
Jay RoachCinematography:
Jim DenaultComposer:
Theodore ShapiroCast:
Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Zach Galifianakis, Jemaine Clement, Stephanie Szostak, Lucy Punch, Bruce Greenwood, David Walliams, Ron Livingston, Kristen Schaal (more)Plots(1)
Tim, is an up-and-coming executive who has just received his first invitation to the "dinner for idiots," a monthly event hosted by his boss that promises bragging rights to the exec that shows up with the biggest buffoon. Tim's fiancee, Julie, finds it distasteful and Tim agrees to skip the dinner, until he bumps into Barry - an IRS employee who devotes his spare time to building elaborate taxidermy mouse dioramas - and quickly realizes he's struck idiot gold. Tim can't resist, and invites Barry, whose blundering good intentions soon sends Tim's life into a frenzied downward spiral and a series of misadventures, threatening a major business deal, bringing crazy stalker ex-girlfriend, Darla, back into Tim's life and driving Julie into the arms of another man. (Paramount Home Entertainment)
(more)Videos (2)
Reviews (3)
Honestly, I just didn't enjoy this movie. Considering all the positive reviews from users I usually agree with, maybe the fault lies with me for not tuning into the movie's vibe. Most of the comedic moments just didn't land for me (except for Chris O'Dowd in the role of a blind fencer — when he turned off the lights to level the playing field, I couldn't help but burst out laughing). I frequently experienced second-hand embarrassment and, what's worse, I was often bored. For a comedy, that's a major issue. Plus, the creators threw in some clichés, and the icing on the cake was a melodramatic scene straight out of a Rosamunde Pilcher drama. What a waste of time. / Lesson learned: Do you get off on taxidermy? Count me out.
()
The film is simply a remake of a very successful French comedy and as such it's just not that funny. Not to mention the fact that Steve Carell has to goof around to be funny. Jacques Villeret didn't need that, he was funny in a natural sort of way. But not stupid. Carell is like that, but the script wants to give him more. It does not work.
()
Steve Carell has tremendous comedic potential. Actually, not just comedic. One minute he can make an idiot of himself, and a second later he can move you with a story told with the help of prepared mice. Unfortunately, it also represents just about everything the remake of Dinner for Schmucks has to offer. The rest is (apart from Shapiro's very good music) a despicable piece of crap that should never have been made. And I'm not really surprised, since it was made by a team very similar to the one that made Forgetting Sarah Marshall. In short, a useless remake made in the style of "the more the better". Fingers crossed that Carell's next film is better.
()
Ads