With action-thrillers like Inception and Salt dominating the box office last weekend, it’s time this week for a change of pace. If you’ve been looking for a good summertime laugh, please note that a new comedy has arrived this weekend and it’s called Dinner for Schmucks.
The film stars Steve Carell, Paul Rudd and Zack Galifinakis, and it’s actually a re-make of a French film from 1998 that was called The Dinner Game. In the original, as well as in this movie, the story revolves around a group of arrogant businessmen who hold an unusual contest at their dinner parties… the winner of the contest is the guy who basically brings along the biggest idiot.
The French film is silly but has an endearing quality, and the same can be said for this new American version. Steve Carell plays the main idiot, and of course you can expect lots of silly jokes and sight gags. But there’s also a sensitive side to the story, and it takes an actor like Steve Carell to pull that off. Most people first saw Steve Carell in Bruce Almighty, but it was his role as the befuddled weatherman Brick Tamland in Anchorman that made us really fall in love with him. Steve then did films like The 40 Year-Old Virgin and more recently Date Night, and then there’s his award-winning role as Michael Scott in TV’s “The Office” that puts him in our living rooms on NBC and every night in syndication. But it’s not just his success that makes Steve Carell interesting… it’s how he plays his characters.
Again it’s called Dinner for Schmucks and it’s open now everywhere.
I’m Stephanie Simmons from ReelzChannel where movie fans can watch TV about movies on DirecTV channel 238, Dish network 299 and cable systems nationwide. We’re online too at ReelzChannel.com.