Review of Dinner for Schmucks (2010) by Hollie T — 03 Aug 2011

The French version of "Dinner for Cretins" (a film I've never seen or heard of) gets an Americanized facelift with Steve Carell and Paul Rudd churning out their usual schtick. Rudd's character has to invite an idiot to a dinner for wealth individuals and then make fun of that idiot. The title goes both ways, like a bisexual in a donut shop. Not only are the idiots schmucks, but in the end so are the rich butt-holes.

There are various characters played by well-known individuals like Jemaine Clement as the self-indulgent artist who wants to bang Rudd's girlfriend. Zach Galifanakis plays Therman who is Carell's nemesis. Also Rudd's stalker Darla played by Lucy Punch for whom he slept with three years before meeting his girlfriend. Lucy provides a much needed Punch to the bizarre quality in humor the film emits.

Take for example the slightly genius and creepy aspect to Carell's hobby of taking dead mice, dressing them up and placing them in certain recreations of his time with his wife (sorry, I mean ex-wife). It's unique for a comedy to present something odd, but it turns into a running gag that over stays it's welcome.

Rudd's dilemma through the film is based on getting his crappy girlfriend to marry him. He's asked her twice and each time she's said 'No'. Will she ever say 'Yes'? Yes. It's predictable, strange and was disappointing. Makes me wonder what the original was like.