You, Me and Dupree Enjoys Limited Welcome

     Considering the high level of annoyance that is emitted from Owen Wilson and the low level of star power that is emitted from Kate Hudson it comes as an enormous surprise that You, Me and Dupree is not an exasperating waste of time. In fact, the motion picture is a pretty effective comedy, supplying enough laughs to make the tired storyline fresh again. I will continue to be weary of features starring Wilson and am still very far from being a fan of Hudson but I’ll admit that You, Me and Dupree is decent summer movie fare.

     My qualms with Wilson go back to Shanghai Noon, an action-comedy the actor starred in alongside Jackie Chan. Since that flick he has consistently played the buddy with a grating personality that always ends up getting on the other characters’ nerves. The problem is that, in doing so, he gets on the nerves of the audience as well. The irony that he would costar in a movie about an annoying guy who moves in with his newlywed best friend is pretty unusual.

     There is no doubt that Wilson gets on the audience’s nerves in You, Me and Dupree – it only takes a moment to realize this based on any one of the movie’s trailers alone. However, the plot eventually takes Wilson somewhere he has never gone (somewhere you can’t see in any of the trailers) and he ends up being, dare I say it, liked by the audience.

     Hudson is another story. I always hear people discussing her sex appeal but I simply don’t see it. For starters, she has the features and figure of a prepubescent girl. Her personality is never much better, either, always coming off as somewhat snobby. Such is the case in You, Me and Dupree. Her house must look a particular way, her father is very powerful and wealthy and she demands the attention of her overworked husband.

     Hudson plays Molly in You, Me and Dupree and Matt Dillon plays her husband Carl. Molly and Carl get married and shortly after their honeymoon Carl’s best friend (and best man) Dupree, played by Wilson, breaks the news of his unemployment and homelessness. Carl invites Dupree to stay with his wife and himself and Dupree happily accepts. Molly is shocked that her husband would make such an offer without consulting her first but allows Dupree to stay.

     Meanwhile, Carl is having problems at work under the judgmental eye of Molly’s father, played by Michael Douglas. Back at home, Dupree becomes a terrible nuisance as he commandeers the couple’s answering machine, destroys their plumbing, asks friends over for sports-viewing parties and has wild adventures with a woman involving butter and candles. Worst of all, though, Carl believes that Dupree is trying and succeeding in the obliteration of his marriage.

     The initial half of You, Me and Dupree is easily represented in the movie’s irritating trailers and there are very few light spots. Fortunately, the latter half of the feature film is a huge step in the right direction, effectively generating laughs and tugging at heartstrings. You, Me and Dupree is still a long way from being a must-see hit but it is hardly half-bad. There are a few better star-driven comedies in theatres this summer but you won’t be disappointed in spending a little less than two hours with You, Me and Dupree.

     Any more, though, might be stretching it a tad.