MOVIE REVIEW - The Dilemma

There's a bunch of really good people tangled up with The Dilemma new this week, so what happened?

The new Ronnie Howard directed, sort of comedy has a big cast. Vince Vaughn, Keven James, Jennifer Connolly, Winona Ryder, Channing Tatum and Queen Latifah. Sounds like it should be a winner, but a funny thing happens on the way to the theater. If you've seen the trailer for this movie, don't be fooled. The actual movie is very different from the package you were sold before hand.

Meet Ronny (Vaughn) and Nick (James). They are business partners and best friends since college. Their small business is on the verge of blossoming, when a huge problem comes up. Ronny accidentally sees Nick's wife Geneva (Ryder) fooling around with another man, Zip (Tatum). So the dilemma is, what does Ronny do with this information? Does he tell Nick or his girlfriend Beth (Connolly)? Or does he simply turn the other cheek and let well enough alone? Lots of side plots too, but that in short is The Dilemma.

Well if you're thinking you're going to see a crazy, screw-ball comedy with James and Vaughn doing what they do, you would be wrong. Oh, there is some predictable silliness that these two do, but as this movie moves on, it becomes increasingly dark. Yes, dark. And to be square, all the supposed comedy that was the first 30 minutes is long gone, and The Dilemma becomes some kind of dark comedy that is trying to be some kind of male feelings, male bonding,coming of age movie that really falls flat on it's face.

The Dilemma could have been much better under different circumstances. If this had a rewrite with some of ancillary plot lines and characters erased. And if this had much more of an Indy film feel with little known actors, and if it kept it's eye squarely in it's original mission, this could have been far more compelling. Instead, it will come on as a tremendous thud for the core fans of these two comedians who will without question walk out wondering what just happened to their money and the lost two hours on a weekend night. Word of honest warning again. This is not the comedy you think t is going in.

The Dilemma. This movie is what it is. This will more than likely leave way more people way more disappointed than glad they went. Not just because it's not really funny, but many will feel duped.