Hyped

Rating: 6/10 (21 July 2005)

Maybe it was because of the hype and my lofty expectations entering Wedding Crashers but overall I was disappointed with this film. While the idea is solid and there are some moments of brilliance it is ultimately ruined by a cookie cutter plot and an attempt to appeal to as broad an audience as possible. The potential of this movie is derailed during the way too frequent attempts to play to the "chick filck" demographic. Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn and Will Ferrel can be some of the funniest people when left to their own devices, but I have trouble believing the claim that they were the creative forces behind most of this movie as is widely reported. Some of the funniest scenes and lines were improvisational, but these moments are definitely outnumbered by the insufferable amount of scenes that forward the "plot." I'm sure studios are reluctant to release films that don't have a feel-good resolution, or that are irrelevant and nonsensical, but this film is so formulaic it hurts. This movie ends up feeling as much "50 First Dates" as it does "Old School." In my opinion this movie would have been funnier, although perhaps less financially successful, if they had made it far less predictable and clichéd. Unfortunately this movie will make a good deal of money and will make the studios even more averse to producing real comedies.