Starring: Zac Efron, Adam Devine, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza, Stephen Root, Stephanie Faracy, Sugar Lyn Beard, Sam Richardson, Alice Wetterlund, Jake Johnson, Marc Maron
Directed By: Jake Szymanski
When the summer has provided such a superior similar effort in Wedding Crashers, how can one truly appreciate Mike and Dave? Well, it’s a slot filler. It’s a diversion. If you’re bored, and you need a movie to go to with your bros, then Mike and Dave fills that slot. It’s not a new comedy classic, but it does have a fair share of laughs, even if the movie itself doesn’t feel memorable, or oddly enough, nearly raunchy enough.
Don’t get me wrong. There are a few raunchy moments, but the rest of the film seems oddly sugar sweet, which ends up lightening the mood overall. Either that, or I’m becoming desensitized to masturbation in a film. I will say, I think all four leads were entertaining, but all four have been more entertaining in other films. Efron was funnier in both Neighbors and Dirty Grandpa, Devine and Kendrick both were funnier in the Pitch Perfect films, and Plaza was funnier in The To-Do List (among other things). It’s only a moderate show of their talent.
With a supporting cast filled with no-names in big roles, and then actors you’d actually give a damn about in fleeting moments (Jake Johnson is in one scene, so is Maron), there isn’t even really a supporting standout to give it a boost. This film spends its entire runtime coasting, lobbing a few solid jokes over the net, but never really playing to win. It was just playing not to lose.
I would say skip this in theatres. I don’t see why you should need to pay the big bucks for this. It’s not funny enough. There’s no one amazing thing that happens that stands to be spoiled for you. This can’t be the film everyone will be talking about. If you’re really curious, grab it at Redbox, or Netflix, and watch it with your friends. At least you all won’t have dropped tons of cash on a film that’s just a little above average.
Mike And Dave need more than just wedding dates. They need a pair of balls if they’re going to play in the same court as Wedding Crashers, a film that they directly reference at one point, as well as a better writing team. All four of these leads have proven themselves in this genre, yet it felt like they were given soft jokes that you would give to someone who was trying out comedy for the first time. It’s a shame.
FINAL GRADE: C+
