YOU, ME AND DUPREE
by Robert A. Nowotny
It is a mere ten hours since I watched YOU, ME AND DUPREE and I
honestly cannot remember the film at all. Thankfully I still have
before me the DVD box and so I am able to piece together a smidgen
of what I apparently saw. Talk about a total waste of one hundred
and eight minutes. It isn't so much that this film is bad, it is
worse than bad, it is even worse than really, really bad.
IT IS FORGETTABLE.
In fact, it is so totally forgettable an experience one would
think that Dr. Alois Alzheimer directed.
Alas, the blame must go instead to Anthony Russo and Joe Russo,
bumptiously bungling brothers whose previous credits were
primarily confined to the small screen, and writer Michael
LeSieur, who has no previous writing credit of any kind. Let's
hope someone takes away his Big Chief Notebook Tablet.
Assisting the above-mentioned talentless trifecta are Owen
Wilson, Kate Hudson, Matt Dillon, Michael Douglas and an
uncredited Moose Head. Between you, me and the gatepost none of
them should have signed on, although the Moose Head does hold his
own compared to Mr. Douglas' embalmed performance.
Kate and Matt play newlyweds. Unfortunately, the chemistry
between them is as inert as a placebo. This should be no surprise
since Matt Dillon's range as a performer is more wooden than
Charlie McCarthy. At least Kate appears to try, going so far as to
attempt physical humor. Unfortunately, her pratfall falls as flat
as her chest.
This leaves Owen Wilson who plays the title character, Randy
Dupree, the we-are-supposed-to-adore-down-and-out-slacker who
crashes on the newlywed's couch and serves as the source of the
mishaps that follow. Randy does have one scene true to his
name—a supposed loping of his mule which was clearly
intended to be the comedic highlight of the film. Instead, Gus,
Cupcake, Ruth, Blue, the Borax boys and Francis are talking
lawsuit.
And you thought Owen Wilson's nose was already bent out of
shape.
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