Wedding Crashers

“Wedding Crashers” is one of those paradoxical movies that are difficult to review. As a comedy, it delivers plenty of laughs. As an “R” rated movie, it delivers more than enough vulgarity. As a plot, it delivers nothing new. As a buddy picture, it delivers fun acting with ample amounts of silliness. In the end, is it a good movie? No. Is it funny however? Yes. Will it offend? Quite frequently.

Owen Wilson (“Meet the Fockers”) and Vince Vaughn (“Old School”) team up as a pair of thirtysomethings who have turned wedding crashing into an art form. Week after week, they successfully crash weddings and do it in style. The goal of course, beyond the free food and drinks, is the reward of a young unsuspecting woman for a one night stand.

When the two attempt a coup d’crash at the U.S. Treasury Secretary’s daughter’s wedding, their plans are complicated by real love interests. Secretary Cleary, played by the ubiquitous Christopher Walken, invites the two men back to the family estate following the wedding, and the men develop different relationships with his other two daughters. Walken is Walken; wryly humorous and sublimely peculiar. Both Wilson and Vaughn have added another notch on their growing comedic resumes. Wilson is sanguine and likeable, while Vaughn is more brazen and neurotic. The combination makes them a perfect pair for such a buddy picture. Rachel McAdams (“Mean Girls”), Wilson’s love interest, is charming and fun. It is an interesting cast, to say the least. A movie with Jane Seymour and Will Ferrell (brief cameo) in supporting roles is a rare bird. But somehow it all works and provides a good helping of out-loud laughter. Ferrell can’t help but be funny.

If I was laughing on the outside for a good portion of the movie, I was also cringing on the inside. There were some 50 uses of foul language, including a dozen or so instances of the Lord’s name being taken in vain. There were also numerous sexual innuendos, crude references, sexual situations, and topless women. I didn’t think the movie needed to be quite so crass, and would have been just as funny without all of that. It seems that Hollywood always thinks to be funny, one must be crude.

There aren’t too many plot points that will be surprising. Most of the story lines have all been done many times before. But the interplay between Wilson and Vaughn still feels fresh and fairly unscripted. I did check my watch though at about the 90 minute mark, thinking that the movie was running out of steam. It runs about 15-20 minutes long in my estimation. Something comedies must always be careful not to do.

If you are a sensitive movie-goer, this is definitely one to stay away from. Yes, those you are willing to stomach a barrage of vulgarities, may enjoy it. “Wedding Crashers” didn’t completely crash as movie. It delivered pretty much what one would expect from such an offering. However, the question is, do you really want to send Hollyood the message that you want more films like this? That is the message your ticket purchase will send. (See list of Relevant Issues)

Not recommended.