I get help but get the feeling that this will either be really funny…or really suck.
Dinner at Eight (DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS Trailer)
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Ryan McNeil
Ryan McNeil 4 Replies to “Dinner at Eight (DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS Trailer)”
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Judging from the trailer this film will not be an award-winner/nominee like the original French film (i.e. Le dîner de cons or The Dinner Game) that it's based on. While the French film had way more subtlety, the American version – judging from the trailer – uselessly makes the point of explicitly underlining the fact that Steve Carrell's character is a dumbo (see the part when he laughs at a monkey eating papers). However, I can't wait to see how the plot twist of the dinner will be used since the characters of François (the French "schmuck" played by Jacques Villeret) and Pierre (the equivalent of Tim played by Thierry Lhermite) never made it to the dinner in the original film.
I'm probably in the same boat as you, Hatts. It looks like it could be pretty good but you can never be sure – so I'll rent it unless over the coming weeks it starts looking better to me. Wasn't it Zach's character in The Hangover that was saying he wouldn't "line up for a movie that starred Paul Rudd?" – interesting…
I love both Rudd and Carrell, but I'm not sure what to think from the trailer…It's not that funny and really depends on the timing and likeability (I know that's not a real word…) of the two main actors.
Anh's right about the original French film "The Dinner Game" – the two main characters never make it to the dinner. And though they make you look forward to that dinner, it doesn't matter that they never make it since the film is, frankly, a comic masterpiece. Occasionally broad and slapstick, but also very subtle and low key. It's a wonder.
This certainly is not the same movie, so it shouldn't be judged against the original. But it will be.
I vote, eh, maybe a DVD rental unless some real good reviews show up. Paul Rudd is great, but he's never had the best track record with consistency. Steve Carell on the other hand, he needs something in which he's not playing the questionably intelligent guy bad things just happen to. Was funny the first couple times he did, getting old quick though.