After the Rental - Wedding Crashers

Call me old, call me humorless, call me anything you like, but so help me, I don't see why this movie was such a hit. Sure, the first thirty to forty minutes were hilarious. The opening montage of the five weddings was as funny as anything on screen in a long time.

But after that? Eh...

Vince Vaughn digressed back into what he always is of late: Fast talking and angry. I guess since the diner scene at the end of Swingers, all Vince can do is the smug-hostile thing. Hell, that's all he did in Made.

Isla Fisher may have been the best part of the whole movie. Her insane red head bit was probably the funniest stuff in the last half of the movie. Rachel McAdams was OK, but the part kind of limited her. She was much better in Mean Girls. And she's prettier as a blonde.

Owen Wilson was flat, but that's his schitck, right?

Perhaps what finally killed the movie was Chazz. Can anyone explain WHY Will Farrell is considered funny? His whole act is Adam Sandler's, only taller with curly hair. And much less funny. Which is a good trick!

Frankly, I think this movie is an example of what low expectations we all have for movies. Twenty years ago was the age of Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Fletch, Stripes, Animal House, Naked Gun, Risky Business. Those were movies that were funny from start to finish.

When was the last time a movie as good as those hit the screens? American Pie? Decent, but not even close to the ones listed above. Comedies, and movies in general, have gotten so bad that when a decent one comes out, its stature is elevated above what it should be. Look at the drooling over Lord of the Rings. That trilogy consisted of three good movies that had great moments at times. But are any of them or the three collectively among the greatest ever? Please...

Perhaps if Hollywood focused on the comedy writing first and the casting second (clearly the motivation behind this project was, "Let's get Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn on screen -- anyone got any ideas how?"), movies would be better than they have been the last 15 years. Had Wedding Crashers been released at the same time as Porky's, it would have been ignored as much as Private Lessons.

Ivy Chat score: Single, out trying to stretch into a double.