Just when one thinks comedy is extinct, Wedding Crashers crashes on to the big screen ....

Rating: 8/10 (4 September 2005)

SPOILERS THROUGHOUT:
The Wedding Crashers is definitely not for everyone but I thought it was one of the funniest comedies I've seen in years. And that's not an exaggeration because there were truly times I thought I'd have to leave the theater I was laughing so hard. This isn't an Oscar contender, it's a funny contender.
One problem with a lot of Comedies is that there is one person who usually gets the funny lines and that's it. All the humor revolves around that person. Not so here. Wedding crashers is chock full of hilarious off the wall people and they all get their moment (or moments) to let the comedy rip. It's a movie that has consistently funny things happening constantly and that's a rarity in the comedy genre.
The amount of comedy here is strong and there are a few scenes that may have made me laugh harder then I ever have in the theater-particularly a certain dinner scene starring Vince Vaughn and Isla Fisher. Okay-this movie has made100 maybe 200 million already so it stands to reason I should have expected something really funny but I didn't. I thought I'd be under whelmed.
All the performers were great but I must single out Isla Fisher who played Gloria. She has a great future as one of the best comedic actresses I have ever seen. I loved Jane Seymour in this and Rachel Mc.Adams-well what can one say-she is so lovely and talented she creates such a realistic character in an off the wall comedy. One day this woman will win an Oscar, that's practically a given.
The men were great too, although Walkin was somewhat underused. Vince Vaughn is the next Jim Carey and Owen Wilson surprised me in that he played the romantic lead with such finesse. Everyone was cast perfectly.
I have no problem giving comedies 9's or even 10's if their flawless. This wasn't though. Even though I loved it, it had flaws. There was NOTHING that was off limits in the movie's almost satirical tone. There were some things that were more cruel then funny. A few scenes where the guys were getting hit, beat up and shot were rather gross. And the crashing funerals....well, I know it's central to the movie's premise and overall resolution but I did think it was a bit much as was the reference to Jodie Foster's character in The Accused which for some reason rubbed me the wrong way as well. This is not a movie to see if one's easily offended. Actually, even People who AREN'T easily offended may have problems because the movie's comedy simply touches on to many areas someone might consider off limits, it's almost inevitable that one will get offended about something unless one's tolerance level is really high.
I also think the last half hour or so became a bit to soppy. This movie, in a way, started to remind me of a sicker more twisted version of Sideways-or maybe The Wedding Singer. Or maybe both. I don't think a comedy at this level can really aspire to also be THAT sweetly sentimental because then the level of humor goes way down. I did appreciate the happy ending, this movie almost guarantees that, but the brief period the two friends are estranged wasn't really needed-or anyway it didn't need to be that bleak. Not after what the audience sees for the first ninety minutes.
In spite of the flaws-this is an 8.5 (at least) and definitely a movie I will recommend, watch again myself AND may have to own when it comes to DVD. My vote on this rowdy, twisted, unrealistic, strange and totally hilarious comedy is 8.5 out of 10.