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You, Me and Dupree http://www.themoviemark.com/moviereviews/youmedupree.asp
PLOT
Carl (Dillon) and Molly (Hudson) enjoy a beautiful Hawaiian wedding with Carl's best friend Dupree (Wilson) serving as Best Man. Upon returning from their honeymoon, the we're-so-cute-and-not-afraid-to-be-cheesy newlyweds are eager to have a little fun and revel in married life. Unfortunately, a nice little wrench is thrown into that matrimonial engine when Carl finds out that Dupree has lost his job and is now living on a cot in the back of a local bar.
Carl can't help but feel partly responsible when Dupree reveals that he was fired because of the week he took off for the wedding. Apparently the vacation was never approved. Dupree blames it on a lost email. His conscience weighing heavily on him, Carl invites Dupree to come stay with him and Molly for a while.
Naturally, Dupree claims it'll only be for a couple of days, until he can get back on his feet again. But everyone with an IQ higher than Paris Hilton's shoe size can tell this plan will somehow go awry. Tensions mount, jealousies arise, and threatened friendships ensue.
JOHNNY'S TAKE
Whenever a movie mistakenly thinks a bad pun of a tagline ("Dupree's a crowd" anyone?) is gonna rope in ye olde moviegoing audience, there is officially room to be concerned with what you're about to watch. OK, so the tagline isn't as bad as some, but it is enough to raise a red flag. However, is it enough to indicate what's to come?
Welp, I'm happy to say that once again I'm gonna keep my distance from all your unfavorite (I'm makin' up words, baby!) stuffed-shirt critics out there who are giving You, Me and Dupree a merciless shredding because it doesn't meet the inherent level of pretension they so girlfriendlessly demand. That's right, folks. I, Johnny Betts, enjoyed You, Me and Dupree. I'm one of about three movie reviewers to boldly make that claim, but doggone on it, I'm sticking by it.
Granted, my enjoyment was heightened due to the fact that I kept my expectations low and didn't have to pay to see the movie, but I was entertained all the same.
It's only fair that I be perfectly honest and admit I'm somewhat easily amused when it comes to watching actors and actresses that I really like, and Dupree sports a great cast. Mileages will vary depending on your tolerance level of the actors involved.
Owen Wilson is one of my constant comedic favorites, once again displaying that crooked nose we all love and projecting child-like innocence with his signature charm. I also love his ability to sincerely deliver outrageous and cheesy lines in ways that make them seem not quite so outrageous or silly.
Then there's Kate Hudson, only the absolute cutest thing that Hollywood has going for it. She plays this role a little more low key than usual, but she's still irresistible, evidenced by her black bikini scene where she proves that she inherited what was always her mom's best *ahem* asset.
Rounding out the cast, straight-man Matt Dillon's cool as always, and Seth Rogen, though woefully underused, brings an impressive laughs-to-screentime ratio. Most of you will remember him from The 40 Year-Old Virgin, but he'll always be Ken Miller and Ron Garner to me. If neither of those names means anything to you then we need to have a serious talk about a couple of DVD sets you might want to consider acquiring.
Is this a film that'll find its way to the top of any of these actors' resumes? No. Is it a non-stop laugh-fest? No. Is it a film I can watch over and over and cry with laughter every time? Nah. Will you be disappointed if you're expecting something along the lines of The Wedding Crashers? Most likely.
After all, I never said the movie doesn't have its flaws. Some of the humor is a little too conventional and predictable, and the dramatic dialogue isn't exactly the most compelling to grace the screen, so no, this isn't gonna go down in the Book of Comedy Classics, nor do I feel a necessity to pencil it in as a future addition to my DVD collection (unless the special features are loaded with Kateness). But I found it to be a fun, light-hearted, silly way to take a 2-hour break from the real world. As I mentioned in the paragraphs above, its greatest strength is in its likable cast and their chemistry, and I appreciate the charm it displayed in never taking itself too seriously.
Plus, the majority of the screening crowd seemed to enjoy it. I've personally never had nor been a third wheel like Dupree, but those of you who can relate to such an experience might appreciate it on a different level.
I can't say that You, Me and Dupree is a film that just absolutely demands to be seen on the big screen, but it's certainly the kind of movie that you usually watch with friends and family where most everyone will walk away with a good chuckle, no one will be overly offended, Aunt Ella will comment on how "it was cute," no one's life will be dramatically altered, and Uncle Larry's uninvited segue into some boring recollections about his own "Dupree" experiences will wake everybody back up to their nightmare reality.
All in all, if you think no one can bring seven different kinds of smoke like Owen Wilson, and you find Kate Hudson to be seven different kinds of smokin' then there's something here for you to enjoy. Be it at a matinee or as a future rental. It might just help you discover your "ness."
THE GIST
You, Me and Dupree might not deliver two solid hours of nothing but out-loud laughter and the dramatic elements might falter at times, but there's no denying that the cast is great, and if you love those involved then you'll find some enjoyment here. I wouldn't pay more than matinee prices, and if you don't have a lot of spending money to throw around then just save it for a rental.
Rating: 3.25 (out of 5)
Johnny Betts The Movie Mark http://www.themoviemark.com
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