You Me and Dupree Synopsis: A best man stays on as a houseguest with the newlyweds, much to the couple’s annoyance.
Molly and Carl (Kate Hudson, Matt Dillon) are newlyweds who find themselves housing Carl’s best friend, Dupree (Owen Wilson), after he loses his job and apartment. Things get off to a very rocky start as Dupree is a bit of a slob who doesn’t understand boundaries. His presence strains the young couple’s marriage, as does the pressure Carl begins to face at work from Molly’s father, Bob.
I vaguely remember watching this movie back in 2006 when it was in the theater. However, I found it to be largely forgettable. But being confined – mostly – to bed after recent foot surgery, I saw the movie was streaming on HBO Max, so I decided to give it a whirl again. Sometimes ridiculous comedies can be comforting, right?
You, Me and Dupree remains largely forgettable, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy watching it. It’s definitely more com than rom, but that’s okay. There are some genuinely funny moments, and honestly, I kind of like Owen Wilson’s aw shucks thing he’s perfected over the years.
Kate Hudson doesn’t have to do much here, as the ever-exasperated wife turned Dupree ally, but Matt Dillon seems to be having fun with his character’s paranoid journey to the unhinged.
Some of the jokes are so over the top that they’re not as funny as I am sure they’re intended to be, and for a moment, I thought maybe this movie was directed by Peter and Bobby Farrelly. Maybe this was the Russo Bros. attempt to Farrelly it up? The movie certainly gives off a Farrelly-movie vibe but in a much tamer sense.
I think my biggest issue with the movie is that there is not much about it that makes sense. Molly is at one point disgusted and fed up with their new houseguest, and the next thing you know, she’s sharing breakfast with him with the sort of ease she ought to be sharing with her husband. Not to mention all of the marital issues that arise in Molly and Carl’s marriage that could be fixed with what? You guessed it. Communication. Ignoring the obvious for plot purposes makes for lazy writing.
Okay, but I’m not going to take this movie that seriously. If you want nonsensical, mindless, with some humor, then you may like this movie. I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it either, and that’s okay. It helped me kill time, even though I doubt I’ll ever watch it again.
Watched: 03/07/2023
Notable Song: Fix You by Coldplay
