YOU, ME & DUPREE

You, Me and Dupree

      In 2005, Owen Wilson played one of the titular characters in
WEDDING CRASHERS, a rather amusing comic romp that proved to be
a hit with audiences. A year later, the actor is starring in and serving
as one of the producers of YOU, ME AND DUPREE, which could also
be jokingly called HONEYMOON CRASHER.

      Dupree (Wilson) is the best man at the wedding of Carl (Matt
Dillon) and Molly (Kate Hudson). In true fashion, he lands on the
wrong Hawaiian island and must be helicoptered over just in time
for the rehearsal. From the outset, it's clear that he isn't particularly
happy that his pal is getting married, but the reasons aren't made
clear. Once the newlyweds return home and settle into their respective
routines -- she teaches inner city kids, he works in real estate development
in a firm owned by his father-in-law (Michael Douglas). During a "boys'
night out," Carl learns that Dupree lost his job because he didn't really
have authorization to take time off to go to Hawaii. Being jobless also
means being without transportation, because he was driving a company
car. Broke and homeless, Dupree has taken up residence in the local
watering hole. Feeling a tad guilty, Carl agrees to allow his friend to
stay with him for a few days.

      Of course, Dupree turns out to be the guest from hell -- changing
the message on the answering machine, sleeping naked on the living
room sofa and upgrading the cable to include HBO. Carl tolerates this
but Molly isn't all that pleased. She schemes to fix Dupree up with a
co-worker, but the plan backfires (with the emphasis on "fire"). Carl,
increasingly under pressure from his father-in-law/boss begins to suspect
that more is going on between his wife and best friend. This being a
movie, and a purported comedy, things eventually resolve themselves.

      There are so many problems with YOU, ME AND DUPREE that I
don't know where to begin. The screenplay, credited to Mike LeSieur,
isn't nearly as funny as the filmmakers think. The direction by the Russo
brothers (whose only other feature credit is the so-so WELCOME TO
COLLINWOOD) is haphazard and unfocused. Then there's the cast.

      Matt Dillon has proven in past roles to be both adept at comedy
(THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY) as well as drama (CRASH), but here
he flails like a fish out of water. He and Wilson are also not believable as
longstanding pals. In fact, I cannot imagine anyone putting up with Dupree
or his antics ... certainly not anyone in their 30s. Wilson's slacker shtick is
beginning to wear thin and this film isn't going to help his status as a
comic lead. Kate Hudson's character goes through so many shifts that
are also not believable. Michael Douglas appears to be collecting a paycheck
and nothing more.

      YOU, ME AND DUPREE is another in a long line of mediocre films to be
released in 2006. It ranks as one of the least funny comedies I've seen.

  Rating:                D
  MPAA Rating:       PG-13 for sexual content, brief nudity, crude humor,
                                     language and a drug reference
  Running time:      108 mins.

              Viewed at the AMC Loews 84th St 6