Dinner For Schmucks
Summary: Tim (Rudd) is a rising executive who “succeeds” in finding the perfect guest, IRS employee Barry (Carell), for his boss’s monthly event, a so-called “dinner for idiots,” which offers certain advantages to the exec who shows up with the biggest buffoon.
Review:
Dinner for Schmucks manages to be funny but only in spite of itself. The right actors are in play, but they’re always being underserved by the script, the direction, or both. There are intermittent moments where everything comes together and delivers big laughs. It’s a solid premise with talented lead actors and some clever jokes. But it’s also depressing to watch as you see a director read a joke without knowing how to tell it.
Rating: C-