|
"Owen Wilson Finds
His Kateness" |
 |
Directed by Joe and
Anthony Russo - Written
by Mike LeSieur
Starring Owen Wilson,
Matt Dillon, Kate
Hudson, Michael Douglas
Distributed by Universal -
2006 - 108mins - Rated
PG13 |
|
Richard Propes'
Review
|
 |
C |
|
| |
|
Two's company. Dupree's a crowd. |
| |
After a few minutes of
relatively charming banter and a few modest laughs, "You, Me and
Dupree" quickly disintegrates into a hodgepodge of lame humor,
insincere sincerity, outlandishly unrealistic situations and, perhaps
most sadly, a comedy virtually devoid of genuine laughs.
The film centers around Dupree, yet another in a long line of slacker
roles for hippie extraordinaire Owen Wilson. Dupree serves as the best
man at the wedding between his best friend, Carl (Matt Dillon) and
Molly (Kate Hudson). What starts as an easygoing, pleasant comedy
rapidly evolves (or in this case "devolves") into a sub-moronic spin
on the "unwanted guest" movie.
Dupree loses his job, and Molly and Carl begin to play host to a best
friend who, in Carl's words, "has never really been domesticated."
Duh.
The problems with "You, Me and Dupree" are so immense it's difficult
to know where to begin.
Hmmmm. Good place to start?
Where's Ben Stiller when we need him?
Seriously. The "buddy" chemistry between Dillon and Wilson is modest
at best. More often than not, their exchanges will have you hoping and
praying for even just an appearance from Stiller or that hilarious
wedding crasher, Vince Vaughn. Unfortunately, no cameo is to be had
and we are left to continuously buy into a friendship that is based on
a premise impossible to buy (lifelong "best friends") or buy into a
friendship that is dysfunctional, abusive and anything but funny.
The situations we are forced to endure? Hmmm. C'mon, do you really
need to hear it? You KNOW what happens here. It's not even a plot
spoiler to mention these things...quite literally, everything that
happens here is predictable ranging from the interruption of Carl and
Molly having sex to conflicts with Molly's father (Michael Douglas)
and, finally, to the outrageusly boorish behavior of Carl when he
becomes overworked, exhausted and, in the film's most tepid scenes,
jealous over alleged flirtations between Molly and Dupree.
Oh, Please.
By the film's climax, Carl's behavior has become so fundamentally
wrong that the predictable conclusion rings false and feels akin to a
woman returning to her abusive boyfriend/spouse. This scene, which
includes the big screen's worst possible use of Coldplay's "Fix You,"
is awkward, uncomfortable and so amazingly empty of emotion that it
barely qualifies as resolution.
Throughout "You, Me and Dupree," the film "Meet the Parents," and to a
lesser degree even "Meet the Fockers" kept coming to mind. While the
storylines are not similar, the relationships, scenarios and family
dynamics shared many common characteristics. In both of the "Meet"
films, the comical scenes were funny because even the outrageously
impossible scenes developed naturally from the relationships between
the people. The "Meet" films largely worked because the tenderness,
outrageousness and humor were all byproducts of the relationships.
In "You, Me and Dupree" it feels just the opposite. The characters and
relationships appear developed for the sole purpose of plot
exposition, outrageousness and humor. The connection between the
characters is never established and, thus, it becomes nearly
impossible to care, to accept, to surrender and, most importantly, to
laugh.
This isn't funny. This is just plain sad...and just plain boring.
Owen Wilson is certainly functional and, at times, even downright
amusing as Dupree. Of course, Wilson has played this character
before...often. Very often. However, Wilson is strongest when he has a
manic or intense energy to play against in a film. Wilson, who should
have been marvelous in this role, is simply unable to successfully
carry off being a film's core energy and focus (Anyone remember "The
Big Bounce?). While Dupree is initially kind of charming, by the end
of "You, Me and Dupree" it becomes impossible to fathom how anyone
could have tolerated his pathetic behavior for so long. His attempts
to make amends ring hollow and insincere.
Matt Dillon, too, is simply miscast in a role that practically begged
out for the self-deprecating, manic lunacy of an actor like Ben
Stiller. Dillon's segue from lovestruck honeymooner to "whipped"
employee of Molly's father to raving lunatic and back again is
awkward, inconsistent and, at times, just embarrassing. Dillon showed
the world he can act in last year's Oscar-nominated performance in
"Crash." In "You, Me and Dupree," Dillon takes a giant step backward
back into the type of role that kept him off the "A" list in the first
place.
"You, Me and Dupree" would be a complete and utter disaster were it
not for the utterly charming, relaxed and warm performance from Kate
Hudson. Hudson, with her girl next door looks, winning smile and
natural film presence rescues the film with a performance that brings
to mind her wondrous performance in "Almost Famous." It's a powerful
testimony to Hudson's acting that she's able to produce such a
resonating, sincere performance from an underwritten role in a film
that doesn't give her nearly enough chances to shine.
Michael Douglas offers his usual fine performance as Molly's father, a
high-powered land developer who sabotages his daughter's new marriage
in nearly every waking moment. His performance is a cross between
Gordon Gekko and Robert Deniro's performances in the "Meet" films.
The script, by first time screenwriter Mike LeSieur, is your
run-of-the-mill "unwanted guest" film with ever so slight touches of
romantic comedy and moral lesson. While it is not particularly awful,
neither is the script particularly memorable.
Odd decisions plague the film's production design, ranging from camera
shots that cut away from a person talking to the odd decision to have
Dupree, in what becomes a key storyline, fall in "love" with a woman
whom the audience is never allowed to see, meet or, once again,
establish any sort of connection with during the film. The more
outlandish the scenes involving her become, the more obvious her
absence becomes.
"You, Me and Dupree" could have, quite easily been a funny and
touching romantic comedy with strong box-office. Instead, "You, Me and
Dupree" is an exercise in how NOT to make a romantic comedy. With only
modest chemistry between its leads, "You, Me and Dupree" feels
constantly forced and its humor contrived.
Blessed by a surprisingly heartfelt, rich and authentic performance
from Kate Hudson, "You, Me and Dupree" almost works thanks largely to
her warm, convincing performance. However, Hudson isn't quite able to
carry the film alone and "You, Me and Dupree" ends up being the very
worst kind of romantic comedy...a boring one. "You, Me and Dupree" is
likely destined for a short theatrical run after a modestly successful
opening weekend.
|
| |
|
© Written by Richard Propes -
Email Me! |
|
How We Rated This Film
|
TC Candler -
|
|
|
| Richard Propes
- |
 |
C |
|
Jacob Hall
- |
|
|
|
TC Candler's Comment
n/a
Jacob Hall's
Comment
n/a
|
