The Dilemma – 1*

Let me tell you how to avoid this dilemma: Swiftly bypass the inviting blurb in your box office listing on (yet) another Vince Vaughn relationship comedy, and don’t be fooled by the promise of co-stars of Kevin James, Winona Ryder, Jennifer Connelly, Queen Latifah and Channing Tatum who admittedly attract interest.

Astonishingly, the above title is also directed by Ron Howard (of the respected Frost/Nixon and A Beautiful Mind fame), so it’s hard to believe that the film could be that problematic. It is, or rather, Howard’s handle on rom-com is, and this is a word of advice to him to return to what he’s good at: emotional drama.

For starters, the film doesn’t know whether it’s a rom-com of the bromance fashion, a relationship drama laced with wit, an advert starring Hollywood celebrities for a car giant, or another excuse for a Vaughn stand-up comedy feature. It’s so confused, even its stars appear to be grasping at anything to pull the story through; no wonder Ryder’s cheating character Geneva is so acidic tongued and prickly as she’s found out trying to have some extramarital fun, and inject something vaguely enticing into events. Ryder is the best thing in the film, to be honest, seeing as though Connelly is stunning but insipid, and Latifah overdoses on crass double entendres that it becomes nauseating.

It’s a typically predictable Vaughn affair: man’s man (check), Chicago adoration (check); hockey match psychology (check); relationship saboteur (check); and inane ramblings (check). Add the Vaughn verbal tirade to the James meltdown, and you have a headache waiting to happen. There is so much rapid-fire dialogue (take the car journey scene with the pair) that the brain just gives up trying to decipher words, let alone any of the gags.

Vaughn plays ‘wounded-by-women’ male so very well, hence his role as Ronny Valentine, best friend and work colleague to Nick Brannen (James) who discovers that his best friend’s wife (Ryder) is having an affair, should be the one his previous relationship comedies have been gearing up to. It’s a chance to punish all those troublesome, headstrong females out there, like a Neanderthal, and hit a home run for the lads. The trouble is Vaughn appears to have been given free reign to improvise that his well-meaning babble gets lost among the idiocy – like falling out of trees – hence the confusion whether this is drama or comedy remains. And what was Channing thinking playing camp cretinous character Zip, Geneva’s boneheaded lover, plus how did he come into her life in the first place?

So many questions… To use Latifah’s terminology, the only ‘ladywood’ effect was purr and slick bodies of the sexy American muscle cars. Perhaps this is why both Vaughn and James signed up to play with the boys’ toys? Now we understand, but it still doesn’t excuse this misguided mishmash. And someone please muzzle Vaughn for a bit, just until he decides if he wants to be taken seriously in his next role, or charm the undergarments off us ladies with his comedy flare because once upon a time he certainly did.

1/5 stars

By @FilmGazer