Every family has a few trouble makers.
The ones that show up to events drunk, or start a fight with anyone in their path. But how do you deal with these individuals? You get them a babysitter of course. In new comedy Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, that’s exactly what the Stangle brothers must find in the form of dates to their sister’s wedding.
The latest in a long line of gross-out, slapstick crazy plot comedies stars Zac Efron, Adam Divine, Anna Kendrick, and Aubrey Plaza. The films plot and humour may fall a little flat but its charismatic cast keeps the audience interested.
Brothers Mike and Dave (Devine and Efron) have a reputation as disasters at any family gathering. To avoid this at their sisters up and coming wedding, their father demands the two bring dates that keep them in check. To locate ‘nice girls,’ the boys put out an ad for girls to take to the wedding in Hawaii. Waitresses and party girls Tatiana and Alice (Plaza and Kendrick) pose as a teacher and hedge fund manager to win the free trip to Hawaii. Once there the girls drinking, games and antics threatened to ruin the boys and their sister’s wedding.
The plot is supposedly based on true life events. Two brothers placed an ad on craigslist for dates to their cousins wedding which gained over six thousand responses. The film is written by the same duo behind comedy Bad Neighbours and is done in a similar style. The premise, though ridiculous, is funny. It brings the two pairings together and allows for a number of humorous events. The girls keeping up their fake persona, family rivalry as well as alcohol fuelled antics all feature throughout. The gags are constant and many fall flat but good pace is set on the build up to the wedding.
The film is done in the same vein as Bad Neighbours, Superbad, Role Models and Pineapple Express – it’s filled with gross out comedy. A lot of the humour revolves around sex such as the boy’s sister receiving a nude body massage or Mike trying to seduce Tatiana to no avail. This is not for those easily offended with a lot of nudity and a very awkward scene in a sauna.
Despite a lot of flat material, the cast are charming and keep the film going. Efron flexes his sex appeal across the screen as the more level-headed of the two brothers. The actor feels a little lost after great performances in films such as The Paperboy to be churning out comedy after comedy but he is a good lead in an entertaining flick. Devine is the more hot headed of the boys giving him the majority of the jokes in the film.
Plaza continues her reputation as the kind of girl that would be legendary to party with: A forceful, reckless and hilarious character who steals every scene she’s in. Kendrick plays the sweet yet quirky best friend getting over a broken heart with Dave.
For those who like their comedies slapstick, gross-out and lacking any sense this is for you. If you prefer a more sophisticated style, avoid it like the plague. Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates is a silly but entertaining flick that’s held together by its appealing cast.
MIKE AND DAVE NEED WEDDING DATES IS OUT NOW!