The release of “Wedding Crashers” marks the sixth film from the comedic assemblage of stars known as “The Frat Pack.” For the first time since 2003’s “Old School,” the group manages to showcase their talent in a film that puts its priority in laughs, not a trite romantic comedy plotline.
The title aptly describes the movie’s plot, as “Wedding Crashers” centers itself around two divorce counselors — John Beckwith (Owen Wilson) and Jeremy Grey (Vince Vaughn) — who orchestrate heavily detailed and carefully researched personas to crash receptions and of course, get laid.
While “Wedding Crashers” technically falls under the realm of romantic comedy, it does its best to hold off the boredom that comes along with introducing a female interest in a high-energy comedy. Through a montage of one-liners and bedding naked women not seen anywhere outside of Hollywood, Wilson and Vaughn rule over a fairly long R-rated segment set to the tune of the Isley Brothers’ “Shout!” that will have anybody with a sense of humor about one night stands laughing hysterically.
For the first 45 minutes of the film, Vaughn dominates with his fast-talking ladies man shtick that first made him a star in 1996’s “Swingers.” After a solid performance in “Old School” and a passive effort in “Dodgeball,” Vaughn returns to prime form with rants so fast that a second viewing may be needed to fully appreciate his improvised used-car salesman bravado.
However, Vaughn also entertains in several scenes as the vulnerable chump who is susceptible to both athletic embarrassment and sexual helplessness. With a career of roles that define the meaning of a smooth talker, Vaughn looks a bit out of his element in the physical comedy scenes, but the change of pace for an actor that America is used to seeing from the neck up is not only funny but refreshing.
At the film’s peak, the laughs take an abrupt break as the inevitable romantic lead rears its head with Owen Wilson and his female counterpart, Rachel McAdams, beginning to fall for each other at the crasher’s biggest attempt yet, the wedding of the Secretary of State’s daughter. Secretary Cleary, played by the weird yet somehow cool Christopher Walken, eventually finds out about the duo’s original intentions and after some raunchy-yet-funny tribulations, romance wins the day.
The film’s first act is so entrenched in quick laughs that it leaves the viewer wondering how it will be able to sustain its energy and turn it into a formidable 120-minute feature, which it later poorly attempts before being rescued by a cameo from Will Ferrell.
Ferrell plays Chaz Reingold, the crasher’s mentor and innovator behind the wedding crashing scheme. Chaz exists in dialogue throughout the film, but thankfully makes an appearance just as audience members are beginning to bore of the Wilson/McAdams side plot.
As a dorky 43-year-old man who still lives with his mother, Chaz creates a new format of party crashing that changes the way you will think about one of life’s most unheralded traditions. A “frat pack” movie without Ferrell would leave something missing, and though appearing only briefly Ferrell does not disappoint.
Luke Wilson and Ben Stiller are the only “Frat Pack” members to not appear, and the film proves better off without Stiller’s characters, which run the comedic alphabet of emotions A to C.
Considering the speedy rate at which the “Frat Pack” has been pumping out comedies during the last five years, its hit-or-miss approach to films is unavoidable. While “Old School” was limited to the appeal of the college demographic and “Anchorman” was either the funniest movie you have ever seen or the biggest waste of your time since “Down Periscope,” (depending on your sense of humor) “Wedding Crashers” offers material that everyone can relate to in one way or another — single males lying on-the-spot in an effort to get some.
While this takes place at every bar and Greek house in Madison, the single men of Badger land can only hope to do it in as funny, cool and smooth a manner as Wilson and Vaughn have perfected in “Wedding Crashers.”
Final Grade: B
