Wedding Crashers Movie Revew

Wedding Crashers (2005)

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Written by: Steve Faber & Bob Fisher
Directed by: David Dobkin
Starring: Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn, Rachel McAdams, Christopher Walken, Isla Fisher, Jane Seymour, Bradley Cooper, Dwight Yoakam, Rebecca De Mornay
Rated: R
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Plot
John and Jeremy, a pair of committed womanizers who sneak into weddings to take advantage of the romantic tinge in the air, find themselves at odds with one another when John meets and falls for Claire Cleary.

Verdict
This is a hilarious movie, and not only that, it's smart. The concept and energy between Vaughn and Wilson is great. It's a rom-com that's actually funny and a plot that's interesting. The main plot focuses on a friendship. On a basic level this follows a simple formula, but it's done really well with these unspoken rules and camaraderie that add to the depth. This dips in the last quarter due to an unnecessary cameo that isn't funny and affects pacing, but that doesn't negate how great the rest of the movie is.
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Review
This became the first R rated comedy to break $200 million at the domestic box office, reviving R rated comedies.

I've seen this a couple of times before. It's one of my favorite comedies due to the commitment to the concept, the rules, the duo's chemistry, and how the plot unfolds.

A quick introduction lets us know John (Owen Wilson) and Jeremy (Vince Vaughn) are divorce mediators and against dating. They crash weddings to pick up women, ingratiating themselves into the festivities and even giving speeches. They have strategies, stories, and even a set of rules that govern conduct. We get this in the form of a montage.

Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn play John Beckwith, Jeremy Gray

The crucial part of this story is the friendship between John and Jeremy that's endangered when John wants to pursue a committed relationship. Throughout the movie they quote the rules to each other about when to leave and how to act. We don't know how many rules, but it lets us know this goes back years.

Vaughn gets most of the funny lines. He's exuberant and fast talking with a great bit about how he loves maple syrup and even puts some in his hair. They both play off each other really well. Their energy is infectious. This uses one liners and physical comedy. I could quote many of Vaughn's lines. They're all really good.

Are they misogynists? Not in the strict sense of the word, but it's difficult to argue against that completely. They are lying and using women for sex. It's likely they enjoy the party and people, but their end goal is clear. They use deception to get there. During the course of the movie their goals do change.

At a big wedding, John falls for Claire (Rachel McAdams). He wants a relationship and uses his charisma for an invite back to her family's home. Jeremy is against that as Claire's sister Gloria (Isla Fisher) has strong feelings for Jeremy that he doesn't reciprocate. Jeremy wants to escape her.

Rachel McAdams plays Claire Cleary

This sets up the drama well. In addition to John's interest, Claire's mom is flirting with John, Claire's brother likes Jeremy, John is competing with Claire's jerk boyfriend Sack (Bradley Cooper), and Claire's dad doesn't like Jeremy. It sounds like a lot, but it's a great dynamic. We don't feel bad about John seducing Sack's girlfriend because Sack is a colossal jerk and just keeps getting more unlikable.

John and Jeremy's ploy is revealed. You knew with the game they were playing this was coming. Jeremy also decides he wants to start a serious relationship with Gloria. That causes their friendship to fracture. The last quarter if this becomes less funny and less fun. We see them at the peak of their wedding crashing. Jeremy gets the relationship John wanted causing John to spiral. 

There's a cameo that should be cut. It loses the energy of Vaughn and Wilson, it's a lot sillier, and it drags out the last quarter of the movie. This adds nothing. Removing it would strengthen the movie and the pacing. We know John is having a tough time. This cameo also destroys the image of this legend John and Jeremy had mentioned, Chazz.

This movie follows a typical formula of friends splitting and then reuniting, but it adds a lot of depth with their rules, their crashing, and a lot of characters all after something which provides momentum. I like this movie so much, but I really want a cut of this without the cameo and related scenes.