Owen Wilson as Randy Dupree
Kate Hudson as Molly Peterson
Matt Dillon as Carl Peterson
Michael Douglas as Mr. Thompson
Seth Rogen as Neil
Amanda Detmer as Annie
Ralph Ting as Toshi
Todd Stashwick as Rod
Bill Hader as Mark
Lance Armstrong as Himself
Jason Winer as Eddie
Sidney Liufau as Paco
Billy Gardell as Bartender Dave
Eli Vargas as Aaron
Houston McCrillis as Dougie
Review:
Molly (Kate Hudson) and Carl (Matt Dillon) are newlyweds letting go of their single lives and learning what it means to be in a long-term relationship and all the compromises and sacrifices that can entail. For Carl that means giving up some of the enjoyments of bachelorhood, like watching football with the guys, and dealing with his controlling father-in-law (Michael Douglas) who unfortunately happens to be his boss. For Heather this means… something that’s never ever touched upon in the film. Her main contribution seems to be putting up with Dupree (Wilson), the albatross-like symbol of Carl’s youth that he can’t quite seem to shake.
“You, Me and Dupree” seems, at first anyway, to be about growing up and having to give up the things of childhood in exchange for the responsibilities of adulthood. At the exact same time, though, it seems to be saying not to entirely let go of childhood because that one is the part of ourselves that can truly appreciate being alive and makes the dullness of adulthood bearable. The filmmakers are trying to have their cake and eat it to and the result is inconsistent at best.
At worst it’s an excuse for Wilson to be annoying (and not in the cute way that the film tries to make it seem) and for the filmmakers to take funny but stale pot shots at the modern marriage. Wives get the worst of it as, like a Honeymooner’s sketch of old, they mainly exist in the film to tell their husbands (who revert to teenagers when left to their own devices) what to do and keep them from having fun. Molly spends the film putting up with Carl and Dupree and doesn’t do much else. She’s an object for Carl and her father to fixate on and squabble over, not a real character. Dillon gets some mileage out of Carl’s increasing neuroses from overwork, and the film does a decent job at showing the very real communication problems relationships can have and how easily a good thing can be ruined that way. But it’s a light comedy which means it takes the easy way out, resolving it’s problems with some slapstick and a heartfelt apology.
“You, Me and Dupree” is an inconsistent trifle by turns cute and annoying and not much more.
