So enjoyable, you almost want to try crashing a wedding yourself!

Rating: 8/10 (7 February 2006)

One of the things movie audiences have to look forward to every summer is not only the release of several sub-par action movies, but also the inevitable arrival of the next "frat pack comedy". As this summer's past installment of the latter, everyone must have had a general impression of what to expect from Wedding Crashers - a simple storyline which is basically only an excuse to showcase the comedic leads, and give plenty of opportunity for improvised one-liners and other such laughs.
Wedding Crashers indeed lives up to the long loved frat pack formula, but still manages to take audiences by surprise in many aspects. It certainly pushes boundaries in terms of sexual content for humor, but fear not, the jokes are never in such bad taste that they fall into the realm of "gross-out humor" - the movie is far too funny for that. And surely enough, the key to the film's success lies in its two leads: Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn seem to be a comedic match that was always meant to be, with the effortless ease and skill they play off each other, managing to evoke a laugh from the most mundane of situations. Between Wilson's laid back, easy going persona and Vaughn's manic fast- talking improvisational skills, every second the two are on screen they never come across as less than superbly entertaining.
Unfortunately, director David Dobkin and other filmmakers are not content to make a movie revolving simply around the pair of them doing their thing - they find it necessary to convert the story into more of a clichéd romance near the end. Not only is this approach far overdone and not that enjoyable at all, but it completely clashes with the jovial mood of the first section. It was a good attempt at a more profound storyline, but ultimately the film would have been more entertaining had it taken itself a bit more lightly, and simply given Vaughn and Wilson more time to wreak havoc playing off each other. As such, it is still a highly entertaining film, but mainly worth watching for the first half or so.
Although the focus is clearly on the two lead characters here, they are backed up by an excellent supporting cast as well, especially the beautiful and very talented Rachel McAdams as the object of Wilson's affections, and Isla Fisher as Vaughn's psychotic and overly clingy girlfriend. Jane Seymour also raises many a laugh (often uncomfortable ones given) as the mother of the two of them, and Christopher Walken... well, what can be said about Christopher Walken really? Suffice to say he is beyond excellent as usual, raising tears of laughter from doing virtually nothing at all.
As much as I may have never expected to say this, Wedding Crashers would have been much more entertaining had it made an attempt to stick closer to the frat pack formula instead of trying to work a more serious romance element in, which clashed uncomfortably with the carefree, uplifting mood of its first half, which was much more enjoyable. Still, Wedding Crashers is nonetheless one of the very funniest movies released in a long while, and worth seeing if only for Vaughn and Wilson's unparalleled chemistry and amazing ability to play off each other. Expect to partake in many a laugh, however crude or filthy, when watching Wedding Crashers!
-8.5/10