By Charly SHELTON

“The Dilemma” is a problem that all of us have dealt with at some point. We all have friends, and we know their problems – sometimes more so than they. But the question is: do we tell them?
Ronny (Vince Vaughn) and Nick (Kevin James) have been best friends since college. They have gone through everything together, and they are like brothers. They are also partners in an auto design company. When they get a shot to pitch their new revolutionary idea to Ford, the heat is on in a race against the clock to beat the other companies to the bid. But the dilemma is this: Ronny saw Nick’s wife Geneva (Winona Ryder) kissing another man. But on the eve of their biggest sell, the project that will make them auto legends, should Ronny divulge this information, which is his word against hers, or should he let Nick work on in ignorant bliss until the project is over?
From the very beginning of his career, Vince Vaughn has never disappointed. And Kevin James has always been good for a few chuckles as well. So, with the sum of its parts, this movie is already set to be fun.
But sometimes the whole is less than the sum.
This movie was fun, a regular studio cookie-cutter film, but it just lacked that special something that makes certain comedies like these especially memorable.
The bar was set high for Vaughn after successes like “Wedding Crashers.” Now funny movies like this, that almost come out of nowhere, are expected to be funny, like “The Hangover,” but usually end up being about as entertaining as “Big Daddy.”
“The Dilemma” is somewhere in between. It has memorable moments and good buddy humor and, the best part of the whole movie, an inappropriate toast at an anniversary party. Vaughn really sells the awkward best friend role and it comes out the most in that inappropriate toast. As previously mentioned, this movie has its moments.
But overall, it is not the greatest comedy movie of the year. With films like “Due Date” released late last year and now heading to rental store shelves, don’t bother with seeing “The Dilemma” in theaters. Instead go pick up a DVD or Blu-ray from Blockbuster or RedBox and enjoy something worth the time for your money. Save this film for a rental as well.
Rated PG-13 and directed by Ron Howard. I give this movie 2 out of 5 stars.

▶

JavaScript required to play this video.

Film Clip Courtesy Universal Studios

  Chary Shelton, Movies