What can I say? I laughed at this shitty movie. Sophomoric, dumb, toggling between sexism and/or asinine gay jokes, the film is despicable for any number of obvious reasons. But sometimes it’s feels nice to not be consumed with the pretensions of criticism. I’d be foolish to concoct a defense for the more offensive aspects of Wedding Ringer, but I’ll lay it all out there and you can decide.
The Wedding Ringer has been in the hopper for more than 13 years, originally a Vince Vaughn project that slipped into development hell. Swap out Vaughn’s slacker charm for Kevin Hart’s high-octane swagger, and you’ve got a product ready for the open market. The premise is simple: Kevin Hart is Jimmy Callahan, who runs a business where schlubs with no friends can hire his services as a best man. He’ll be the life of the party, toast giver extraordinaire, probably smush a bridesmaid, and disappear from your life ever after.
Enter Josh Gad as Doug Harris, a man so devoid of friends in his life he has to hire Jimmy to pull off the unthinkable “Golden Tux.” Basically, Jimmy has to construct an entire cast of groomsmen complete with lifelong friendships out of thin air. And—record scratch—they only have two weeks to pull it off! Madcap scenarios ensue with Jimmy reminding Doug all along it’s just a business relationship. Gee, I sure hope those two learn a thing or two about love and friendship along the way. So, yeah, pretty dumb, right? At the very least, something you've seen before.
Well, in that vein, it’s worth pointing out the efficiency of the script. With 13 years to write and re-write, this is a lean 101 minutes of goofs and yuk-yuks. We open on Doug, establish he’s a loser, cut to Jimmy rendering his best man services, introduce the bride, prop-up the central conflict, introduce Doug to Jimmy, and all in the first 20 minutes. Soon after they set-up our rouge’s gallery of groomsmen, plug through the standard five to seven bits that hold any comedy of this ilk together, and boom, you’re at the credits. I mean…downright economical.
As for the film’s content, it undoubtedly feels like it’s from 13 years ago. There are certain attitudes even today’s bro-centric comedies have moved beyond. For example, the slew of gay jokes. None of them are cruel or judgmental—in fact Jimmy and company appear to have a number of gay friends—but more of a giggling-behind-the-hand at the thought of two dudes making sex. It’s not a positive, but what are you willing to reconcile? Lest we forget the now cringe worthy “You know how I know you’re gay scene,” from 40 Year Old Virigin. A far superior film, sure, but a very unflattering moment for Apatow and company. As for the female characters, let’s just say this picture does not pass the Bechdel test and leave it at that.
So, what could I even slightly enjoy about The Wedding Ringer? I’m beginning to wilt a bit myself, but it boils down to Hart and Gad, and they’re great together. These are two actors I’ve never really cared for all that much, but they work very well together. Gad might be the best broad “straight man” running these days, and Hart’s need to carry the load with relentless, hammy mugging is decreased accordingly. They fit together in a way I never expected, and it was enough to generate a tide of, “pleasant surprise.”
Admittedly, the bits the producers/writers probably think are the funniest—flaming grandma, dog with peanut butter, old guys vs whippersnappers football game—are the least rewarding. It’s the quieter moments—Jewish funeral, dance sequence, building the fake relationships—where the Wedding Ringer finds its earnestness and humor. The ratio of solid moments to eye-roll inducing broad comedy isn’t favorable, but it’s close enough to justify a why behind this picture.
Am I saying you should rush to the theater? No. What about when it’s, like, in the dollar theater off the interstate? Not…really. Not unless it’s a "Wednesday afternoon off of work" type situation. You know when this movie will be perfect? Let it find you on some hungover Sunday. Horizontal on the couch, surveying the wreckage of fast food wrappers and poor, half-remembered choices, let it wash over you. You might laugh a bit. No one will be there to judge you, and heck, you know I’ll never tell.
—Monte Monreal
The Wedding Ringer has been in the hopper for more than 13 years, originally a Vince Vaughn project that slipped into development hell. Swap out Vaughn’s slacker charm for Kevin Hart’s high-octane swagger, and you’ve got a product ready for the open market. The premise is simple: Kevin Hart is Jimmy Callahan, who runs a business where schlubs with no friends can hire his services as a best man. He’ll be the life of the party, toast giver extraordinaire, probably smush a bridesmaid, and disappear from your life ever after.
Enter Josh Gad as Doug Harris, a man so devoid of friends in his life he has to hire Jimmy to pull off the unthinkable “Golden Tux.” Basically, Jimmy has to construct an entire cast of groomsmen complete with lifelong friendships out of thin air. And—record scratch—they only have two weeks to pull it off! Madcap scenarios ensue with Jimmy reminding Doug all along it’s just a business relationship. Gee, I sure hope those two learn a thing or two about love and friendship along the way. So, yeah, pretty dumb, right? At the very least, something you've seen before.
Well, in that vein, it’s worth pointing out the efficiency of the script. With 13 years to write and re-write, this is a lean 101 minutes of goofs and yuk-yuks. We open on Doug, establish he’s a loser, cut to Jimmy rendering his best man services, introduce the bride, prop-up the central conflict, introduce Doug to Jimmy, and all in the first 20 minutes. Soon after they set-up our rouge’s gallery of groomsmen, plug through the standard five to seven bits that hold any comedy of this ilk together, and boom, you’re at the credits. I mean…downright economical.
As for the film’s content, it undoubtedly feels like it’s from 13 years ago. There are certain attitudes even today’s bro-centric comedies have moved beyond. For example, the slew of gay jokes. None of them are cruel or judgmental—in fact Jimmy and company appear to have a number of gay friends—but more of a giggling-behind-the-hand at the thought of two dudes making sex. It’s not a positive, but what are you willing to reconcile? Lest we forget the now cringe worthy “You know how I know you’re gay scene,” from 40 Year Old Virigin. A far superior film, sure, but a very unflattering moment for Apatow and company. As for the female characters, let’s just say this picture does not pass the Bechdel test and leave it at that.
So, what could I even slightly enjoy about The Wedding Ringer? I’m beginning to wilt a bit myself, but it boils down to Hart and Gad, and they’re great together. These are two actors I’ve never really cared for all that much, but they work very well together. Gad might be the best broad “straight man” running these days, and Hart’s need to carry the load with relentless, hammy mugging is decreased accordingly. They fit together in a way I never expected, and it was enough to generate a tide of, “pleasant surprise.”
Admittedly, the bits the producers/writers probably think are the funniest—flaming grandma, dog with peanut butter, old guys vs whippersnappers football game—are the least rewarding. It’s the quieter moments—Jewish funeral, dance sequence, building the fake relationships—where the Wedding Ringer finds its earnestness and humor. The ratio of solid moments to eye-roll inducing broad comedy isn’t favorable, but it’s close enough to justify a why behind this picture.
Am I saying you should rush to the theater? No. What about when it’s, like, in the dollar theater off the interstate? Not…really. Not unless it’s a "Wednesday afternoon off of work" type situation. You know when this movie will be perfect? Let it find you on some hungover Sunday. Horizontal on the couch, surveying the wreckage of fast food wrappers and poor, half-remembered choices, let it wash over you. You might laugh a bit. No one will be there to judge you, and heck, you know I’ll never tell.
—Monte Monreal
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