I can't tell whats more goofy, the dancing, or the purple fedora in the background
We’re a long way from the masterful offering that was Wedding Crashers, and Vince Vaughn hasn’t had a very strong showcase since then. Kevin James is generally funnyl, but many of his films are hit or miss, love or hate. The two would seem to have good chemistry together, and the combo should make for some great comedy, but unfortunately The Dilemma just isn’t that simple.
She has more balls than both of them combined
The Dilemma begins slowly, introducing us to the various characters and relationships in the film. Ronny Valentine(Vince Vaughn) is a smooth talking salesman, serving to back the talent of Nick Brannen(Kevin James) as they attempt to pitch their prototype automobile technology to the big auto manufacturers. The two are ying and yang, with Ronny being a confident extrovert, and Nick a shy ball of blood pressure.
Nick is married to Geneva(Winona Ryder), and Ronny is in a serious relationship with one of her best friends, Beth(Jennifer Connelly). Things get complicated when Ronny catches Geneva with bad boy Zip(Channing Tatum), and this tension serves as the main conflict of the film. The problem that lies with The Dilemma is not it’s plot, but the imbalance of comedy and drama throughout the film.
When the flaming bag of shit prank goes wrong
The Dilemma takes the drama of the situation too far, exploring avenues that are a bit too niche. Those who came to experience a full on comedy will be disappointed, as the film just isn’t all that funny. Those issues aside, The Dilemma is executed very well. The pacing is appropriate, and as a light hearted drama, The Dilemma succeeds, but I don’t feel it’s as commercially viable as the studio would have hoped.
There were a few surprising performances throughout the film. Queen Latifah as Susan Warner is amazing, serving as the technology consultant for Dodge in the film. Every scene featuring Latifah was absolutely hilarious, and comedically, she absolutely stole the show.
When all else fails, more goofy dancing
Channing Tatum as Zip gives, in my opinion, the best performance of his career. This fact actually gives me high hopes for the upcoming film The Eagle, with Tatum in the lead role. Tatum plays an outwardly sensitive degenerate with darker motives behind the scenes. At first the character seems simple and one dimensional, but as the film develops it’s clear there is more to Zip than meets the eyes, and not in a good way.
Overall The Dilemma isn’t a bad film, but it’s one that was falsely advertised. A bromance at heart, the filmmakers should have worked to inject more comedy into what turns into a surprisingly serious drama. They also could have redeemed themselves by showing more Jennifer Connelly, with far less clothing. In fact, this is something every filmmaker should keep in mind as we move forward.
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