Other than being what can only be described as laugh out loud hilarious, Jay Roach's "Dinner for Schmucks" depicts a story about what friendship truly is and who the real idiots of the world are.Though the previews and movie trailer for "Dinner for Schmucks" focuses solely on the comedic aspect of the movie, as is expected, what truly makes this film memorable and absolutely great is the message it has to relay to the audience. The movie begins with a guy named Tim, played by Paul Rudd, trying to make his way up in the world so as to provide all the material objects he thinks his girlfriend Julie, played by Stephanie Szostak, needs. In order to do so, however, Tim needs to decide just how low he will steep to achieve that higher position on the mysterious seventh floor. Having managed to attain the attention of an extremely wealthy businessman Mueller, who is played by David Williams, and has a strange and funny accent, Tim ultimately wins an audition for the coveted position and now needs to land an actual deal with Mueller so as to impress his boss Bruce, who is played by Lance Fender. He also must bring a "schmuck" or idiot to a dinner that is held by the men who are already at the top of the corporate ladder of his company and it is at this dinner where it will be determined whether Tim is promoted or not. Though even Tim finds the event to be "so messed up", he decides to go through with it when he literally runs into Barry, played by Steve Carell. Even though it was deemed very unlikely when they first met and is certainly not an ordinary one, a true friendship sparks between Tim and Barry as they go through several absolutely hilarious situations, including the locating of Tim's girlfriend Julie. The audience sees just how far a friend will go for another when Barry finally mutters the words: "You can eat my pudding," so as to get Julie's location from Barry's boss Therman, who is played by Zach Galifianakis, and who has stolen Barry's ex-wife, once called Pudding by a loving Barry. Tim shows the extent of his friendship when he finally reveals to Barry why the "extraordinary" people are actually brought to dinner, which is to be made fun of. The realization that simultaneously hits both Tim and the audience is that the true idiots of the meal, the people who are the most laughable by the end of the night are in actuality the corporate men Tim once so wanted to become at the start of the film. Dinner for Schmucks is an astounding movie that is filled to the brim of absolutely hilarious scenes. It will make you laugh and see just how deep a friendship, no matter how unlikely, will run, as well as point out the truth: who the real idiots of the world are.

********** Published: August 5, 2010 - Volume 9 - Issue 16