Movie Date: Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates (M18)
Mike and Dave need wedding dates, but we what we need is a better date movie
STARRING: Zac Efron, Adam DeVine, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza
DIRECTOR: Jake Szymanski
THE SKINNY: To find dates for their sister’s Hawaiian wedding, party-loving brothers Mike (DeVine) and Dave (Efron) place an ad on Craigslist. But to their surprise, their chosen women (Kendrick and Plaza) turn out to be even crazier than they are.
MARS by JASON JOHNSON
There is an art to dumb comedy.
It may be a cliche, but you do have to be smart to play stupid - and to do it well.
Just off the top of my head, I am pointing to actors such as Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Ben Stiller and Steve Carell.
The problem in making a stupid comedy with the not-so-bright likes of Efron and DeVine, you end up with a moronic mess.
When they act dumb, it is no act. And I am saying that as a huge fan of Efron, bless him.
It is a shame because the talent behind the camera is actually pretty great.
Director Szymanski is responsible for one of my favourite comedy shorts of all time, Bat Fight With Will Ferrell.
It is funny because the stars are actually funny.
Anyway, Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates is not all bad.
The best scene is probably the one with Kumail Nanjiani, one of the stars of the superb HBO comedy Silicon Valley, as a very creative masseur.
He knows what he is doing comedy-wise, and also massage-wise.
I suspect women all over the world will be longing for his expert touch.
I know I am.
Kendrick and Plaza are also pretty good as the wedding dates in question, with the latter earning the most laughs.
If you are in the mood for a pointless diversion, have a go at it.
Verdict: 2/5
VENUS by LISA TWANG
Someone needs to save Efron from making frat boy comedies.
While not as offensively bad as Dirty Grandpa, which was released early this year, Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates is forgettable.
Efron does not do much as Dave except to look pretty and give off misunderstood artist vibes.
In trying to play the more responsible brother, he fades into the background - especially when he has his shirt on.
In fact, I ended up rooting for the more douchey Mike because I find his silliness quite endearing.
As for the female stars, I definitely prefer Plaza and her bad-girl antics to Kendrick's.
Plaza seems like a bona fide wild child and force of destruction, whereas Kendrick is a little unbelievable as a sweet hippie girl who likes going on drug and alcohol benders.
The finale, where the leads get together to perform a song for the wedding, is rather sweet. It even feels like High School Musical-meets-Pitch Perfect for a few minutes.
Still, it does not quite save the film from being mostly run-of-the-mill.
The best scene is the one where the bride gets a very personal massage that will send you into hoots of laughter.
Why did not we get Mike And Dave Need A Cheeky Massage instead? Now that is a movie I would want to see.
Verdict: 2/5
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