Review: '˜Dinner for Schmucks' and '˜The Other Guys'

Dinner For Schmucks and The Other Guys reviews are desired. A review of Dinner for Schmucks and The Other Guys is indeed warranted because they are two of the hottest comedies on the market, showcasing super star casts including actors such as Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Mark Wahlberg, and Zach Galifinakis (The Hangover). Of course, not all these actors are in the same film - they just make up the crews in both comedy films.

So which is better? As with many things, it depends on who you ask. A review of "Dinner for Schmucks" on the Seattle Post Intelligencer reads "Schmucks made me cringe more than I laughed. On top of the film lacking laughs, it was even more predictable than I anticipated. Rudd had been on a roll with I Love You, Man, and Role Models, but Schmucks missed the mark. I'll be checking out The Other Guys this on the 6th still hoping to get my comedy fix for the summer."

The Long Island Press reviews Dinner for Schmucks saying it "doesn't falter when it comes to truth in advertising, inviting audiences to a sit-down featuring gags that are laughing more at than with them, even if the contemptuous swells get spanked around a little as a tepid formality."

It appears as if the movie leaves a lot to be desired. Still, you have to remember that critics are a tough crowd and that comedies typically have a high standard to live up to. My personal bar is "The Hangover" but I think it would be hard for even a Will Ferrell movie to top my personal favorite.

Speaking of Will Ferrell movies, it appears as if his new film "The Other Guys" has better reviews than Dinner for Schmucks. As far as Ferrell goes, he has a lot to make up to his fans after "Land of the Lost." It appears as if his newest film does just that, and is even poised to become even more famous than "Talladega Nights."

The best thing perhaps about "The Other Guys" was that it was the first film to knock Leonardo DiCaprio's "Inception" from its throne at #1 at the box office. For three weeks running, the film "Inception" was the top, but people were ready for something a little lighter - and "The Other Guys" was just that.

Flicksided.com reviews "The Other Guys" saying that "The Other Guys is at it's very best when they are free to abandon the story completely and simply focus on delivering a steady stream of random gags and one-liners. Luckily this happens often, because whenever audiences are left alone with the plot for too long, the movie really begins to derail. The story - which really could have, and should have, just been a skeleton for Farrell and Wahlberg to fill with character-driven comedic meat - is terribly complicated and hard to follow. It's jam-packed with convoluted conspiracy theories, unnecessary characters and completely out of place political commentary. It's almost enough to ruin the movie, but McKay doesn't seem too concerned with the narrative and doesn't spend too much time with it."

I don't put too much thought into the lackluster reviews. Both movies appear to be perfect for date night. They aren't "chick flicks" and they have the right cast to wow a variety of audiences. Many every day people are giving the movie great reviews, citing that they are "hilarious." Critics are just that - critical.

A word to the wise - when looking for movie reviews for comedies such as "The Other Guys" and "Dinner for Schmucks" go by word of mouth from your friends or people you know. Personally, I am aching to see both movies. I will likely start with "Dinner for Schmucks", not because of the main actors but because it features Zach Galifinakis and he was what made "The Hangover." I'm a sucker for a good Will Ferrell movie, too - so I am excited about these summer comedies.

Sources:

Flicksided.com

Long Island Press

Seattle Post Intelligencer