Dinner for Schmucks

Right before the movie started, my viewing companion told me it was a remake of a French movie. I hadn’t known that, but I like to think I would have guessed it — after the first five minutes, which was a meticulous study in stuffed mice, it was clear that we were not dealing with your typical broad American comedy.

Barry shows Tim his stuffed mice.

The premise is straightforward: Tim (Paul Rudd) needs to find an idiot to bring to dinner to impress his boss. Despite the objections of his ridiculously hot, French girlfriend Julie (Stephanie Szostak), Tim plans to bring dimwitted IRS employee Barry (Steve Carell). Meanwhile, Tim is doggedly pursued by his crazy ex-girlfriend Darla (Lucy Punch), and tries not to drive Stephanie into the arms of her client Kieran (Jermaine Clement).

Though I did enjoy this movie, it left me and my viewing companion in serious need of a beer. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, but there’s also enough pathos (courtesy of a great performance by Carell) to keep it from being a feel-good comedy. Director Jay Roach (of Austin Powers fame) delivers a well-paced story: you know there are going to be plenty of painful revelations, but you’re still not sure exactly when they’re going to hit. The underlying sadness wasn’t easy to shake, even when leaving the theater  — seriously, it was those damned mice. You’ll have to take my word for it since I can’t find a closeup.

Barry and Kieran share a moment.

The cast is really what makes the movie. Carell and Rudd are comic veterans, of course, as are Larry Wilmore and Ron Livingston, playing heartless co-workers (and it’s particularly amusing to see Peter from Office Space playing a corporate jerk). Kristen Schaal is very funny as Tim’s hyper-driven assistant. There’s an overabundance of British talent here: David Walliams as the Swiss investor,  Lucy Punch as Darla — and as Kieran the diva artiste, Jermaine Clement gives Russell Brand’s Aldous Snow a serious run for his money. Finally, there’s Zach Galifianakis (Barry’s boss Thurman), who I have to admit I still don’t quite get, but who was definitely doing it for the theater at large.

Critics were lukewarm on this film, I think because it’s not as broad as the commercials made it out to be. I think it’s still well worth seeing, though — just don’t expect it to be The Hangover, and you’ll be fine.