The offbeat comedy Dinner for Schmucks serves up a lesson in adapting a foreign national treasure. Even with the comedic genius of director Jay Roach, you can't help but feel a disservice has been done to Francis Veber, the French writer-director responsible for the original, The Dinner Game.
In the Hollywood remake, Tim Wagner (Paul Rudd) will do anything to get a promotion, even if it means participating in his boss Lance Fender's (Bruce Greenwood) bizarre annual 'dinner for losers'. Employees have to bring along a guest with a 'special talent': the bigger the schmuck - loser - the better.
Despite his reservations about the scheme, Tim is determined to get the promotion. He brings along Barry Speck (Steve Carell), a naive tax department employee.
During the dinner, Barry needs to overcome his own fears and challenge his nemesis, his own boss (Zach Galifianakis), in a game of 'mind control'.
It's absurd, yes - and might just work as a setup for great comedy. But Schmucks is just not that funny. Its script is very weak in places.
The film leaves you wondering: who's the real schmuck here? Barry, the film's foolish protagonist? Or us, for sitting through a comedy that fails to deliver?