Rule #46: The rules of wedding crashing are sacred. Don't sully them by "improvising." Now these sacred rules are available for all to own, in the form of "Wedding Crashers: Uncorked" on DVD. Never again will any Crasher have to utter Rule #76: No excuses. Play like a champion.
This film, which stars Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, has written the book on wedding crashing and is a must-have for anyone looking for a good laugh or even those seriously interested in the sport.
Lifelong friends John (Owen Wilson, "The Royal Tenenbaums") and Jeremy (Vince Vaughn, "Old School") are two divorce mediators who indulge in the springtime hobby of crashing weddings to pick up women. No matter the ethnicity of the wedding, these two charismatic crashers are always prepared, thanks to their set of rules, and quickly become hits at any wedding. They rationalize that their immaturity is just "people helping people" have a fun time at the nuptials.
Before hanging up their suits, the two decide to crash the biggest wedding of the year, the marriage of the daughter of the Treasury Secretary Cleary (Christopher Walken, "Catch Me If You Can"). At the wedding, John falls for the second daughter of the Secretary, Claire (Rachel McAdams, "The Notebook"), while Jeremy falls for his third, lustful daughter Gloria ("I Heart Huckabees"). The two go to the Clearys' island home in order to pursue their romances, but once there, the deception and deceit become too much when mean boyfriends, impassioned mothers and total disaster threaten the two crashers.
This movie works so well because of the relationship between fast-talking Vaughn and drawling Wilson. They have acted in many films of the current comedy troupe of Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller and Jack Black, but this is their first starring effort. Their banter is at times vulgar and raunchy, but this is a refreshing change from the trend of sedate, conservative comedies.
Director David Dobkin ("Shanghai Knights") does a respectable job of guiding the film, mostly by letting Vaughn and Wilson work their magic. The interactions between Vaughn and Wilson are very well acted and provide many quotable lines. The attractive Rachel McAdams continues to prove that she is one of the finest up-and-coming young actresses in Hollywood by holding her own alongside the two veteran comedians. Fine supporting roles are played by Walken, Jane Seymour as his wife, Fisher and a surprise cameo by a member of Vaughn and Wilson's comic troupe.
The "Uncorked" DVD edition allows viewers to watch the unrated cut of the film, featuring eight extra minutes of footage deemed unsuitable for theaters. Like most comedies, these unrated scenes do not add much to the film but are still worth it since the rated and unrated versions are offered at the same price. The two featurettes included on the DVD are a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film and a scene of Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson discussing the rules of wedding crashing. These same rules are also printed on several pages for anyone serious in their study of wedding crashing.
Overall, this is a very worthwhile DVD to own. The filmmakers were aiming to produce an R-rated comedy where the actors could let loose and have fun, and that energy in "Wedding Crashers" jumps off the screen and provides many laughs wrapped in a feel-good love story. As wedding season comes near, crashers and non-crashers alike can find laughs and delight in "Wedding Crashers."
