You, Me and Dupree: Good for a Few Laughs
Matt Dillon’s character Carl has just married cute-as-a-button Molly (Kate Hudson) and Wilson’s Dupree needs a place to live immediately after their union. Carl, being the best friend of the lovable schmuck, urges Molly to let him crash. Molly is hesitant, but in a (slightly unrealistic) quick turn of events, Dupree and his friend the moose head move into the living room, of all places. Something curious: Molly is the only woman in this movie. That is, she is the only woman’s face we see. There are a few other women characters, but we never get to see them.
Dupree forgets any rules that may have been laid down, and does what he wants, when he wants-this is how he lives, and probably why he has nowhere to go. He befriends to neighbor kids, urging one of their fathers to build a skateboarding ramp. He sleeps naked, and influences Carl to do things he probably shouldn’t, like invite his friends over to smoke cigars, drink and watch the game (and ruin the carpet.).
The film, which verges on being too predictable, is an enjoyable ride. Once in a while it confuses itself, like when it weighs in a little too much on a fight between the lovebirds. This is a comedy, right? Michael Douglas is Carl’s father-in-law (and also his boss) the kind that urges a vasectomy and wants him to take her last name, or at least hyphenate it. Douglas’s character seems somewhat removed from the events he is experiencing, a few scenes between he and Carl seem a little lacking. You wonder what’s under the surface, because he obviously gets the girl, so the impressing-the-father-in-law thing has been done and over with.
Hudson is as cute as ever, but Wilson’s doe-eyed life-loving weirdo is what made me appreciate the shtick. His witty comments and random, sensitive moments are some of the best in the movie.
Usually, I’m not so much a fan of Owen Wilson, I like to make fun of his manner of speaking and bumpy nose. I’ve always thought his brother Luke acted with more convincing-yet-subtle comedy. But this film made me want to give him a hug. He presents himself at an elementary school Career Day with some mumbo-jumbo about waiting for the mother ship, encouraging dreamers to dream on, it will come to them eventually. At least he knows what he wants.
Carl seems to forget he and Molly used to be in love, and gets caught up in the fact that Dupree seems to be winning her over with his outlook and ease at impressing people by not trying. After a while, it seems Molly forgets that Dupree almost burned down their house and masturbated into a sock when he first moved in; he turns into somewhat of a saint and Carl can’t take it anymore.
When Carl cracks, it’s almost annoying. Oh Matt Dillon, we love that furrowed brow and anger. If only we cared. The movie belongs to Wilson, and in this case, that’s a good thing.
