Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Delivery Man (2013) - Movie


I'm conscious of the fact that my family (a new readership by far) will not be very (read: at all) interested in my movie reviews, but that (as they know just by being in relationship with me) will not keep me from spouting my opinion all over the place ;) 

I watched Delivery Man on the plane as we began our Spring Break trip and I had to make a few comments because I really liked it (caveat: I don't mind 17 year old boy humor). 

First, I have a love affair with Vince Vaughn from way back. 

For some reason, this man can do no (or very little) wrong for me. I think he reminds me of someone I knew in college -- his humor is quite often vulgar and nominally stupid. None of the characters he plays in movies are "good" guys or witty or even endearing. And yet, I am endeared (can that be a verb)? 

I think it's because he always plays a Man. A guy. He is so "over the top" filled with testosterone and authenticity that I give him about 100 chances and always assume nothing but the best about him. Maybe I married him :) (jk, honey).

Of course, none of this has anything to do with the movie. Here's a synopsis that I stole from IMBd:
An affable underachiever finds out he's fathered 533 children through anonymous donations to a fertility clinic 20 years ago. Now he must decide whether or not to come forward when 142 of them file a lawsuit to reveal his identity.
I read this synopsis and ask myself, "Why would you even choose this movie?" My only answer can be the Vaughn classic, Couples Retreat, which was roundly panned by critics but loved by me. There is a poignant ending to Couples Retreat where Vaughn's character and his wife realize that the problems of love allow marriages to work because being together is what makes everything ok - not the lack of issues or problems. I figured that if Vaughn was heading up Delivery Man, there would be some redeeming lessons along the way if only to get me past the masturbation jokes (of which there are many).

Here is where my "Bourge-ness" kicks in. I watched the movie two weeks ago and don't remember Vaughn's character's name but I do remember the moments where his character was confronted with the fatherhood of the 533 children. These people just want to know where they came from and they ask very little from their biological father. It's Vaughn and the moments where he relates to the young adult "kids" that made the movie for me. Especially when one of his "kids" turns out to be a young man with very special needs. I loved the exploration of the idea of fatherhood. I loved the questions that the movie raises about the human need to know the man who helped create us. It is a movie almost entirely without mothers, which was interesting and different. I was only disappointed with the movie's take on Vaughn's father who escaped from Poland and made a fortune for his family. I was disappointed because his father wanted to pray Grace and his sons said, "Let's drink!" instead. Because drinking will help a person through moral dilemmas…she says with irony…see? Bourgeois. Proud of it.

I'm sure this film is happily on Netflix or in a Redbox by now. It's not at all funny like Old School or even Wedding Crashers. I think Vaughn might be stuck in his growing up phase where he can't decide if he wants to make funny movies or movies with real messages. So, he'll make kind-of-funny movies with sort-of messages and I get that - it's how I live my life. I liked this movie. But I know why it got a 36% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

It's like Mr. Miagi said in Karate Kid: "Walk left side, safe. Walk right side, safe. Walk middle, sooner or later get squish just like grape." 

But I love you, Vince, and I'll pay my $3.99 on a plane to watch you anytime ;) 

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