DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS (USA 2010) ****
Directed by Jay Roach

I must admit that I was not too pleased when I heard that Hollywood was remaking the France Veber French comedy LE DINER DE CONS (THE DINNER GAME).  For one, that film was overly sentimental, not that funny and a mild success at the box-office.  But, surprise, surprise this remake by Austin Powers’ director Jay Roach pushes ridiculousness to the limit and it works.  Though a bit inconsistent in times, DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS has enough side-splitting lines to make the film worthwhile.  In some parts, the audience would laugh till their sides hurt!

The premise is the regular dinner party held by high executives.  Each brings their own ‘schmuck’ and they vote for the winning schmuck.  In order to win the promotion Tim (Paul Rudd) eyes, he befriends and brings Barry (Steve Carrell) who before the dinner date, makes his life a chaotic mess.  His girlfriend, Julie (Stepahnie Szostak) leaves him and appearing in place, is his stalker date from the past (Lucy Punch).  The film ends with the dinner part where a happy ending actually exists.

For a remake, the script offers a few appropriate changes.  Julie is the girlfriend, not the wife.  Tim is now vying for a promotion, which makes him more vulnerable and desperate to prove himself than in the original where Tim is just a publisher.  The addition of the brain control segment is new and definitely the best part of this movie.  The film hits all the right notes, including the song “Fool on the Hill” heard during the opening credits where Barry’s taxidermist expertise is displayed to full effect – in all sentiment and hilarity.

The supporting character casting is superb, the best being Little Britain’s David Walliams as the Swiss investor Mueller, complete with outrageous accent.  (Yes, the schmuck actually realises and comments that this Swiss has a German name.) Brit actress Lucy Punch plays Tim’s stalking ex-date from hell, and Zack Galifianakis plays the mind controller are others that add to the mayhem.  Jermane Clement puts Russell Brand to shame in the role of a sex-crazed artist.  But best is Carrel who proves his mettle as a comedian, holding his own.

Don’t expect character development - there is none, subtlety or story inventiveness.  But Roach and gang are able to turn any situation to huge laughs. 

The film works as it has a good base story with strong comedy potential and a little message tied in for good measure.  Roach is able to tie all in building the scmucks to a grand final climax culminating in a dinner that is not to be forgotten.  The idiots assembled include a black woman who can read dead animals, a mind controller, a man with a dummy in red dress and deep cleavage and a blind swordsman.  Roach masterfully juggles all their acts together including a final confrontation between the mind controller and Steve Carrel, whose character believes he has brain control.  Brain vs. mind control?  Ridiculous?  Yes, but definitely hilarious enough to make this, as one character in the movie say, the BEST dinner date ever!