Review: Due Date (2010)

Director Todd Phillips' Due Date stars Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis as two strangers caught up in a situation that neither could have previously anticipated. An edgy soon to be father-Peter Highman (Downey Jr.)- only desires to promptly arrive home in L.A. to his wife (Michelle Monaghan) in time for their child's birth. Little does Peter know that an individual would soon be placed before him. This man's name is Ethan"Tremblay" (Galifianakis), and though his heart is large, he is a walking disaster. From the moment Peter encountered this gentle cataclysm of a man, Ethan began setting down his large array of speedbumps in their trip to L.A. that they have been forced to share together due to Highman's misplacement of his information. Along the extended road to California, this odd couple is forced to form a relationship- whether or not it involves more love than hate is determined by the upcoming events. Yes, we have seen this film before; it was called Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, with a blend of characteristics from Todd Phillips' other films- such as Road Trip. However, Due Date earns a spot on its own map with credit given to strong, talent-fueled performances from Galifianakis and Downey Jr. Though at times being a sucker to trailers portaying too many funny moments of the film, Due Date still managed to extract chuckles from its audience. The film may have been an overall fun trip, yet it did at times try a bit too hard to change gears- leaving the audience confused as whether to laugh or cry. Had it not been for the talented direction of Phillips alongside a stand-up cast, the script of Due Date would have as likely as not fallen short of a theater release. Thanks to its nearly indestructible talent, Due Date earns a strong 21/2 stars.

Review: Dinner For Schmucks (2010)

Dinner for Schmucks- (Jay Roach's adaptation of the French film, The Dinner Game) stars Steve Carell and Paul Rudd. Schmucks is about Tim (Rudd), a rising executive who has discovered that in order to attain his promotion he must attend a dinner hosted by his CEO that celebrates the stupidity of poor souls (i.e. Carell's character Barry) chaperoned by his boss's inferiors. Torn between the immorality of humiliating an honest man and his desire to advance by any means necessary, Tim must make a tough ethical decision. Having not seen the original French film, I can only guess that either the cast and crew of Schmucks lost the comedy of the original in translation, or there's a major cultural difference interfering. The film seems to be fueled by physical humor, awkwardness, and the implausible stupidity of Carell's character. Not to say the film doesn't have its funny moments. Zach Galifianakis is a saving grace of the film, simply due to his on-screen charisma and facial expressions. This is not enough to save the film from plummeting further and further as the predictably ironic scenes unravel. I don't much care for awkwardness in real life, much less do I like paying to experience it on the big screen to the extent that Schmucks dishes out. Carell's character tends to be more obnoxious than humorous. Having come from the man who brought us Meet the Parents, Borat, and Bruno, I would like to perceive this as a mere speed bump in Roach's directorial career. The film had a phenomenal cast, including Ron Livingston, Jemaine Clement from Flight of the Concords, and David Walliams of Little Britain USA. I must add that although I am not alone on my opinion (Dinner currently has a 50% on RT), I personally know a collection of individuals that loved the film. Although arguably an acquired taste for some, this viewer would feel like a Schmuck if he scored it any more than 2 stars.