REVIEW: Dinner for Schmucks

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Dinner for Schmucks

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In Dinner for Schmucks, Steve Carell plays an eccentric loser who gets invited to a monthly dinner party hosted by wealthy businessmen to poke fun at idiots. It's a remake of 1998 French film titled The Dinner Game.

The concept sounds mean-spirited and makes it seem like the movie will be juvenile, but it's actually kind of sweet. It's similar in tone to other films featuring Paul Rudd like Role Models and I Love You, Man. The comedy is a bit silly, but the two leads are grounded and have heart. Although the other schmucks are cartoon-ish. Director Jay Roach (Austin Powers, Meet the Parents) also adds a quirky feel to the whole movie, so the silliness and seriousness blend in well.

Dinner for Schmucks is a bit tame for summer. Audiences usually expect more outrageous films like The Hangover during this time of the year. So, this will do better with older audiences. Younger people will likely get their comedy fix from The Other Guys and Scott Pilgrim vs the World.