How many Owen Wilson movies have you seen? 3? 4? How many different Owen Wilson characters have you seen? 1? 1? 1? While this sounds like a cynical start to the review, I actually mean to praise Owen Wilson for somehow finding a way to use the same kind of easygoing goof to fill out characters in so many different films.
You, Me and Dupree isn't anything special and it's what your non-particular movie watching mother would call "cute". Because that's really all there is to say about it. It's a buddy-buddy story where one of the aforementioned buddies happens to overstay his welcome and drive his paired also-aforementioned buddy insane, for lack of a better word. This is the story of the ultimately worst-case scenario of letting a friend crash on the couch "for a few days". Here "few days" means whatever given amount of time is necessary to possibly find a job, foster a new love for biking, and possibly even woo your wife.
The story of Randy Dupree (Wilson), a nice lovable slacker, is a classic one. He loses his job and apartment and needs a place to stay, who better to turn to than his childhood friend Carl Peterson (Dillon) and his new sweetheart of a wife Molly (Hudson). Molly and Carl have a perfect house and nice lucrative jobs only thing is Carl hates his job? Why you ask? Because Carl works for Molly's father, Mr. Thompson (Douglas) who constantly pesters him to abbreviate his name to be Thompson-Peterson and even to get a vasectomy. Sounds like a nice work environment. On top of that, Mr. Thompson walks all over Carl and his ideas for a new housing development completely tossing out Carl's ideas and starting with the exact opposite ideas.
While things at work look dismal, his relationship with his wife starts to take a turn for the worse as well. Turns out that with all the long hours Mr. Thompson is requiring of Carl, Molly feels neglected. Carl thinks it's part of Mr. Thompson's plan to get them to split, after all its pretty clear Mr. T doesn't like Carl all that much. Meanwhile, on the Dupree front, Randy's complete lack of consideration for the comfort of others causes Molly to rally on Carl to get Dupree to move out. Eventually it does a complete 180 degree turn and its Carl who wants Dupree out. The stress at work and the antics of Dupree start to wear away at Carl and it's not long before something's gotta give way. And so the final number of chaos ensues, and it's a lot of fun to watch.
Special Note: Duprees list of miracles is hilarious.
The acting is good, but not great and Dillon and Hudson both treat this movie as a relaxer after some of the heavier films they've been taking on. Dillon plays the overworked husband with a soft spot in his heart very well and the cracks that begin to show around the edges only make the movie funnier and the anticipation greater. Hudson plays her pretty self and does a good job convincing the audience that she has actually shifted in her stance on Dupree staying with them. Even though that part is a bit of a stretch. Owen Wilson treats this film like any other and yet it still works. Go figure.
Perhaps the true star of this show could be Michael Douglas. His conversations with Dillon are absolutely hilarious and you won't believe your ears when he cleverly brings up vasectomy as a viable option for Carl. This is one of the first Michael Douglas films where I didn't feel he'd spread he's acting talent a little too thin, and for that his acting is probably the best in the movie.
Overall the movie musters up some laughs, but in the end you're better off sticking with some of Owen Wilson's earlier laughs. And if you want Dillon laughs There's Something About Mary is your better choice. If you're a big fan of any of these stars, see this movie, otherwise, wait for the rental.
"You, Me and Dupree" opens July 14, 2006 and is rated PG13. Comedy. Directed by Anthony Russo, Joe Russo. Written by Mike LeSieur. Starring Kate Hudson, Matt Dillon, Michael Douglas, Owen Wilson, Seth Rogen.
