Dinner For Schmucks (2010—114mins) P. Rudd, S. Carell

Tim (Rudd) is just trying to be successfull at life. He’s got a job he wants to move up in, and a girlfriend he would like to marry. He’s a smart guy but like most main characters in these comedies he’s destined to go thru hell to get it. Tim has an oportunity to get a promotion, but it hinges on him going to a dinner with his boss and other higher executives. The catch is this is a dinner in which you have to bring a special person. One who is a complete schleb in life so they can all make fun of them. The schmuck he then bumps into is Barry(Carell), a socially inept idiot who’s first love is taxidermy with mice.  It’s not a big movie secret that Tim at first hates Barry and the schmuck dinner is perfect, but as they have some hijinks and get to know each other we all realize the real schmucks are the guys hosting the dinner. No real movie watching secrets here, but the key to the movie is how we get there.

The movie breaks down into two main parts. The part where Tim and Barry meet and all the Three’s Company tomfoolery and miss direction happens, and the half where the dinner actually happens. I have mixed feelings about the movie with these parts. First, the movie is damn funny. Carell is a great moron, and Rudd is, as always, a perfect straight guy. However, as funny as it is the first act/half of it is a bit too long. From when we get the going to the dinner and after is just the right length. It’s a slapstick comedy with a heartfelt type message. It’s just too long at 114mins. As usual tho I can’t pick one or two scenes I would cut out but that’s not my job. My job is to tell you it’s a good movie and a good rental. Zack Galifinakis is genius as his usual odd ball self and is great at it. Also with a small but great part is Jeff Dunham as, what else, a Ventrilloquist who is married to his art. He’s funny as hell and not too over the top about it all, not needing to be more of a part of it then he is, which I like about the part.

Verdict—> A good comedy which overstays it’s welcome around the midway point, but you don’t notice it b/c by the time you get tired of the first act the second act starts. It’s also funny enough to carry your attention span for the rest of the movie. It’s a top rental b/c it’s funny and well worth the rental.

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