Show A welcome pair of party crashers I Carina Chocano Los Angeles Times A Welcome Pair of Party Crashers By Carina Chocano Los Angeles Times this summers summer's few Wedding Crashers one of films not derived from a novel a comic book a TV show another movie or a cheeseburger stars Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn as John Beckwith and Jeremy Grey lifelong friends and partners in a divorce mediation firm John and Jeremy spend their summers crashing strangers' strangers nuptials in order to avail themselves of the open bars and heightened heightened heightened height height- ened romantic recklessness of bridesmaids high on vows But they're also in it for the grandparents the kids and the cake John and Jeremy may be damaged manipulative emotionally stunted frat boys with mouths like truckers but they have a sentimental streak a mile wide From the first scene of the movie as screenwriters Steve Faber and Bob Fishers Fisher's raunchy lunatic jokes begin to spill from the mouths of the protagonists protagonists protagonists its it's clear in great cheerful bursts that Wedding Crashers hearkens to a simpler more innocent time a time before the movies were hijacked by friendly family-friendly merchandisers and bully moralists Witty unhinged and fearless its it's exactly the kind of movie we need now if only exercised James Dobson something to get to give about after a long day of focusing on the family highly regimented system for fors John and Jeremy's IS s infiltrating ceremonies requires them to carefully ISa for each a L craft a customized wedding guest persona hearts up made-up dead war buds buddies bud bud- one fake purple n s dies fictional charter memberships to the Oprah that makes them more attractive attractive Club Nothing Book tt t track down later to tive in the moment and harder LC ic works until one morning is taboo The system rs John has forgotten calls callshim when a girl gin whose name 0 to internal u high Q 1 him on his or organ an ratio and makes him stop to think Later asa as a w t l tr z 4 r F I L t 4 y k kI L 4 1 5 I 4 S J J jc w 1 J z S y d a ai i m 4 cornered by a ave very sexy Jane crashing duo gets Wilson one-half one of the wedding Owen he attempts to in the heart nean OT of ner her Wilsons Wilson's as as' as Seymour Her He character tries to seduce unavailable daughter played by Rachel McAdams H J L final nAAno dd the friends sit on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in a contemplative mood after a frenzied wedding bedding montage John wonders Do you you think what were we're doing is I dont don't want to say word but irresponsible irresponsible irresponsible irre irre- sleazy because that's not the Someday well we'll look ba back k on this and laugh Jeremy assures him and say we were young and stupid John considers for a second Were not that young f I Still John is persuaded to attend me mc 11 we m ing of the oldest daughter of the season the marriage of the secretary of the Treasury Christopher Its It's the Kentucky Derby of weddings and at the reception John meets and falls instantly instant instant- ly in love with the brides bride's smart and pretty sister Wedding Crashers Continued on Page 12 j Wedding Crashers Continued from Page 7 Claire Rachel McAdams whom hes he's crushed to discover er is going out with an entitled preppy named Sack Lodge Bradley Cooper Jeremy meanwhile is off having sex with another sister the completely completely completely com com- deranged and libidinous libidinous libidinous Gloria Isla Fisher who after their furtive romp rompon on the beach announces that thatA thatA A she was a virgin and B she's in loveIn different ham- ham mier hands Wedding Crashers could have ended up coming across like a Neil LaB LaBute ute sledgehammer to the knuckles But nothing is cuter than Wilson and Vaughn together tending to their friendship as though it were a hothouse orchid Not bunnies Not puppies Not Will Ferrell who officially wears out his screen welcome this summer in an ill-advised ill appearance toward the end of the movie The hyper-active hyper bonehead routine will it ever stop Wedding Crashers is far from I proof bullet-proof wise plot-wise kept fretting over the seating arrangements Did they only crash buffets And it relies on some hackneyed conventions conventions conventions conven conven- the worn well-worn public declaration of love for instance otherwise known as the wedding scene But the performances are so spirited and weird Fisher and ODonnell O'Donnell are notably insane in the best possible way and the movie so unapologetically fun that its it's easier to forgive it for losing losing losing los los- ing steam toward the end The awful Ferrell interlude is an unnecessary detour a manic subplot wedged into the lazy sultry loose-limbed loose pace of the thing and the love declaration declaration declaration decla decla- ration of the climax is pure paint by But by then the movie has delivered so many terrific jokes that it hardly matters That's the thing about Wedding Crashers Underneath the diarrhea gags the long lens at close range of Vaughns Vaughn's pants and the handcuffs handcuffs handcuffs hand hand- cuffs its it's really just a love story about a couple of buddies buddies buddies bud bud- dies who live happily ever after And it couldn't have happened to a nicer more charming couple |