The awkward situation sub-genre of comedy has the unfortunate hitch of being largely hit-or-miss in their effectiveness at eliciting the laughs they so crave to fill the awkward silences they thrive upon. If the awkward situations and laugh-out-loud comedy don’t complement one another just right, you’re left with a product that feels like a sprawling desert with oases spread too far apart for anyone to make it through. Meet the Parents, also directed by Jay Roach and one of the prime examples of the genre, aims to make you squirm as much as you laugh and succeeds in that goal. Dinner for Schmucks attempts the same balance but relies too heavily on over-the-top moments of insanity as its version of humor to counteract the awkward, and it never really works until the final half-hour when the comedy switches gears to a funnier mode which, though a humorous novelty, finally fulfills the film’s titular promise.
Tim (Paul Rudd) wants that promotion at work real bad. He’d get to move up to the seventh floor, get a big posh office, and get the kick in self-esteem that will make him feel worthy of his girlfriend Julie (Stephanie Szostak), who’s put off accepting his marriage proposals to a later, unspecified date. When Tim’s chance at advance finally arrives, it comes in the form of a multi-million dollar deal with Swiss financier Mueller (David Walliams) whose final test of the company involves how impressed he is with the boss’s lavish dinner party with a particular caveat: each invitee must bring an utter moron with them and prove their moron to be the most dimwitted of the lot. Tim has some inner-conflict over being a nice guy and yet wanting to get that promotion, making his decision to bring along Barry (Steve Carrell), the rube he meets unexpectedly and who makes his life a living hell for most of the film due to sheer ineptitude, a hard one. As Barry becomes a thorn in Tim’s side after estranging him from his girlfriend, driving her into the arms of the artist she manages (Jemaine Clement), inviting an internet stalker (Lucy Punch) into his home, and pushing Tim’s sanity close to a breaking point. However, the titular dinner doesn’t even come about until the final thirty minutes of the film, and it’s at that point that it starts to have some merit as a comedy.
Performances are solid, but that means nothing in light of a script that strikes out every five minutes. Carrell plays a simpleton well, and he finds a decent match with Zach Galifianakis as his rival, but more often than not the situations he gets into are just dumb and not all that funny. A few other notable faces make up the ensemble including Ron Livingston, Bruce Greenwood, P.J. Byrne, and Patrick Fischler.
It’s a comedy, and not an altogether well filmed one. There’s nothing here visually that would necessitate hi-def. The audio sounds great, but once again you’re better off buying it on DVD and watching it that way, the level of definition really won’t affect your enjoyment at all.
Blu-ray Bonus Features
Even the extras are underwhelming with a piece that goes behind the scenes and has little interview segments with each of the stars commenting on how “funny” the film will be and how much fun it is to work with the other cast members. The only piece really worth watching is about the creation of the dioramas that Barry makes with stuffed mice depicting historic events. This might be the only part that warrants the HD it’s filmed in as well, since the detail on the mice’s costumes is remarkable. Rounding out the set are deleted scenes and outtakes (which are funnier than what made it into the film).
Before you consider purchasing Dinner for Schmucks on Blu-ray, rent it on DVD and see if it even makes you chuckle, because the film is severely lacking in laughs, which is surprising considering its cast. As someone who regularly supports Rudd-centric comedies, it was rather shocking to find one that I’d count among the worst comedies of the year. Take heed and try before you buy.
"Dinner for Schmucks" is on sale January 4, 2011 and is rated PG13. Comedy. Directed by Jay Roach. Written by David Guion, Michael Handelman. Starring Bruce Greenwood, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, Zach Galifianakis, Jemaine Clement, Stephanie Szostak, Lucy Punch.
