Wedding Crashers [Boxed Spoilers]

Cafe Society
1

Holy shit is this movie funny! When you go, try to either go to a showing where there’s not a lot of people, or sit near a speaker, because the audience laughter drowned out parts of the dialog in the showing I saw. The premise of the film is fairly simple, Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn are a couple of marriage counselors who crash weddings in order to have cheap, meaningless sex with women. The two of them are experts at it, and are able to blend into any wedding quite easily. There’s a montage of them at various weddings, showing them working their scams not only on the objects of their desire, but also them being intricately involved in the celebrations. Everything goes swimmingly until they crash the wedding of the Secretary of the Treasury (played by Christopher Walken), that’s also where the laughs kick into high gear.

The dialog in this film is outrageously funny, and that’s where most of the laughs come from. I’m not particularly a fan of Owen Wilson, and I don’t think that I’ve ever seen a film with Vince Vaughn before, but the two play off one another quite well. Each one is able to grab the lines given to them by the other and run with them. It works particularly well in one scene where the two of them are debating if they should stay with the wedding party or go. There’s also some quick shots of lots of naked boobies, so the movie has that going for it as well.

The film does have one weak spot in it, IMHO.It’s when Will Ferrell shows up. Thankfully, it’s near the end of the film, so you don’t have to suffer through him for very long. And nothing against Ferrell, but his character isn’t really necessary in the film at all. You kind of have the feeling that they stuck him in there as an insurance policy. Frankly, I would have preferred if they’d have cast someone against type in the role, that would have made the character that much funnier.

There’s a few unexpected twists in the film, which were nice, and there’s an element to the plot, which you figure will be expounded upon later, but isn’t, however, the film in some ways works better because they don’t expound upon it.

One of the best scenesIs where they’re having dinner with Walken and his family. The grandmother is a foul mouthed old gal who’s a bit homophobic, her comments about FDR’s wife are priceless. Vince Vaughn has to try and maintain his composure while Walken’s crazy daughter gives him a handjob. Owen Wilson, meanwhile, has to try to figure out how to get Walken’s other daughter away from her boyfriend.

About the only thing’s I would have liked for the film to have done differently (other than what’s in the first spoiler box) is that Walken’s character is somewhat thinly done, and he could have been fleshed out a bit better, I also think that Walken should have had a dance number. Still, a very good film, IMHO, and it had me rolling in hysterics more times than I could count.

2

The first hour, hour and a half of this movie is very, very funny. Quite vulgar at times, pretty well written (particularly for this type of comedy, which are so often trash), and a very good job done by both of the lead actors. I agree completely with Tuckerfan:

[spoiler]Much of the last part of the movie seems very forced compared, to how easily it had previously flowed, and Will Ferrell is maybe the epitome of this. He’s just not as funny as either Wilson or Vaughn to start with, and the part he’s in is very much a “we’re all friends and cameo in each other’s movies in wacky little parts” character.

Honestly, they could have ended the movie when the two main characters are walking to the ferry to leave the island and it would have worked fine, albeit been a bit short at that point. I completely understand them going back to get everyone living happily-ever-after (if nothing else than to make the date-movie crowd a little bit happier), but there was a big dropoff in the funny after the aforementioned point.

Either way, this is a funny movie that is multiple steps above what I tend to think of as its brethren (Anchorman, etc.) in both laughs and general quality.[/spoiler]

3

Ditto. You have both nailed the weak spots in the movie. I will say, though, that despite its flaws, I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time.

You’re particularly correct that it’s the relationship between the two main characters that is the focus of the film, and should have remained the focus.[spoiler]For that reason, Will Farrell’s cameo just didn’t work for me. While everyone else in the movie was crazy, it was an understated crazy – you could almost believe that these characters could exist somewhere. But Farrell’s ham-fisted mugging for the camera (as well as the fact that I just couldn’t understand why John went to see him) totally broke the mood of the film.

For example, when he’s howling graveside, how could any woman possibly think that was sincere grief and want to sleep with him? It belies the more subtle acts that John and Jeremy put on to get women. I agree – before they revealed his face, I was hoping for something more like Eugene Levy or Burt Reynolds-- someone utterly unexpected. Hell, I even would have taken Jon Lovitz.[/spoiler]
And may I also say that in the hands of a lesser actor, Christopher Walken’s role would have been irrelevant. But then, I’m biased – I would likely go see him read the phone book.

4

Oh, yeah, one thing I thought of, that could have improved the film, but kept much of it the same:If the priest had turned out to be Chaz! What’s the actor’s name, anyway? Doesn’t seem to be listed on IMDB.

5

It opens here on Friday, so I haven’t seen it yet. I just wanted to say that the first I ever heard of Vince Vaughn was that terrible remake of Psycho, were he played Norman Bates. I remember reading articles about him around then hailing him as the next big action star. After Dodgeball, I have to say that it seems like his talent is excellent for comedies. And he seems like a very likable guy.

6

I just saw this movie last night. Caught it on a whim, had no idea what it was really about other than thinking it was some stupid comedy flick for the teeny-bopper crowd. Good stuff though. Like the OP says, you might miss some lines due to the audience laughing. I loved that he took the painting with him. “It was a gift. I’m taking it with me.”

7

I thought the movie was great. I also did not mind the ending. The ending is just where this movie had to go.

It kind of feels like an update on The Importance of Being Ernest. (also very funny)

I thought the red head girl, Isla something, was very funny as well. It was nice to see that role not just filled with some great looking chick but one who can act.
It needed more Jane Seymore and more Chris Walken. For me the real weakness is the way the ‘bad guy’ is done. Just one dimensional and boring.

8

I’m one of the people who will have to see it again to catched what I missed because I was laughing so much.

I really liked Will Ferrel as Chaz. It was funny because it was so over the top. However, I also think you could have put a bunch of different people in that roll and it would have been funny. Charlie Sheen would have been funny as he is already a noted womanizer. A straightlaced character would have been funny too. Hmm I’m thinking someone like Bob Barker would be funny too. OK, maybe not.

9

Oh, one more thing…

Vince Vaughn would have been seduced by mom, sister and brother while he was tied up. As it turns out he was only seduced (raped?) once.

I also think it would have nice if Claire would have found out what a jerk her fiance was with regards to his womanizing. I (incorrectly) predicted that since weddings were such a great place to pick up women, that her fiance would get caught in the act with a bride’s maid at Vince Vaughn’s wedding.

10

I went to see this because my cousin was an extra when they filmed the wedding of the blonde daughter at The Inn at Perry Cabin in St. Michaels, Maryland. It’s not the kind of thing I would ordinarily see. I thought it looked stupid, and I rarely feel that it’s worth it to spend $7.50 to see a movie. But I promised Jud I’d go see if I could spot him, so I went. (Trivia: he’s the very tall, skinny guy in the back with the unfortunate receding hairline. You too can play “Where’s Waldo?”)

I laughed harder at this movie than I have at anything in a long time.

When Vince Vaughn is tied up by Gloria, the redheaded daughter, and raped, and then is left tied up, and the creepy gay brother assaults him, and Walken walks in on them. It was priceless–especially that crazy picture the brother painted.

That scene just kept going on and on and on. The first bout of laughter caused me to snort loudly in a very unladylike fashion. When I thought the laughs were over, I took a sip of Coke, and it took all my might not to spit it out on the people in front of me when it got roaringly funny again. The laughs kept coming and coming, and I finally had an asthma attack and had to use my inhaler–for the first time in six months.

I do agree, though, that the last half an hour or so is somewhat disappointing.

First, Claire never found out what a scumbag her fiance was, and she really should have. The stuff with Will Ferrell and cruising funerals was really forced and didn’t get even one laugh out of me after the meatloaf thing. Totally agree that there should have been more character development of Walken in that last few minutes. Furthermore, I thought there needed to be a little more explanation why Vince Vaughn wanted to marry Gloria. All we ever saw of their relationship was sex. Was it the greatest sex ever? Was that the only attraction? Was he just tired of crashing after the disaster that was the Cleary wedding? I guess you have to assume it’s love, but they should’ve had Vaughn’s character say so.

Still, worth the $7.50. And the asthma attack.

11

Very funny movie. I laughed throughout the whole thing.

12

I thought it was explained very nicely. Once he realized that she was just like him, and in fact NOT a virgin, he wasn’t afraid of being “trapped” anymore. He liked it that they used each other, and they were both OK with that.

13

And he DID say that he loved her, when he was explaining things to Owen Wilson.

14

Must’ve missed that. Because Enright3’s explanation

I like that we both used each other

is funny but not a reason to get married.

15

It’s not a reason to get married, but the reason they love each other. They realized they’re perfect for each other.

16

Well, not for you, because you don’t have a gaping hole where your heart should be. :wink:

I thought the stuff at the end was very funny. Plus, [spoiler]John’s admiration of Chaz even while horrified by him was really well played. “I don’t mean to judge you, because I think you’re an innovator.” Or when, in the middle of his big heartfelt monologue to Claire, he gets starry-eyed about Chaz again: “I think he’s on to something because he’s really cleaning up!”

Moreover, I thought the funeral was a great way to give John the epiphany than he needed to fight for Claire. In the midst of all that absurdity, to show a moment of real emotion – and not a pleasant one – well, I thought it really served the film.[/spoiler]

Anyway, really fucking funny movie.

–Cliffy

17

I saw this with a group of friends, and we all said aloud at the same time, “Dude, that’s Dr. Quinn!”

18

Somehow I doubt that’s the only reason they’re getting married. I think it’s more like the reason they were initially attracted into a relationship with each other. I don’t believe that the writers intended even these shallow characters to be that shallow. There must be other stuff that we just don’t get to see. I would’ve liked to see it. That’s all.

19

What Cliffy said (particularly since I had the same insight I had about Farrell)…

Anyway, the real shame is not seeing more of my future wife, Rachel McAdams (brunette only, of course ;)).

Sack not being exposed for what a tool he is is ok in my book (I’ll learn spoiler boxes and to type gooder english later). I just wanted to see more of a beatdown. Claire needed to make the hard decision, sort of adds maturity (legitimacy?) to her character.
Great movie!