A laugh riot on Blu-ray, the movie Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates shows why it’s at the top of this year’s comedies. The duo of Zac Efron and Adam Devine remind me of Paul Rudd and Seth Rogan in films like Knocked Up and Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn in The Wedding Crashers. Zany, wacky and out and out looney the story hardly ever lets go of the funny bone.
With the upcoming wedding of Jeanie Stangle (Sugar Lyn Beard) to Eric (Sam Richardson), the Jeanie’s parents Burt (Stephen Root) and Rosie (Stephanie Faracy) have called a meeting with her brothers Mike (Adam Devine) and Dave (Zac Efron). They want to be certain that the two boys will not wreck another outing similar to the debacles at the 4th of July party, Cousin Rachel’s Wedding, and Grandma and Grandpa’s 50th wedding anniversary where on all three occasions they wrecked them by their antics.
With Jeanie’s wedding set to take place in Hawaii, they have asked the brothers to be civil, very calm and considerate with no tomfoolery. To do this they ask them to bring a respectable date that will keep them in check at the wedding. They’ll even pay their dates way and put them up in a room at the hotel.
From the meeting where they reluctantly agreed to their demands, Mike and Dave start a Craig’s List search for the perfect ladies to accompany them. First time feature film director Jake Szymanski does an excellent job working with Efron and Divine as they show their best comedic sides. With Efron the mostly straight man and Divine delivering the one liners, Szymanski pulls together a hilarious show that’s as sidesplitting as some of Judd Apatow’s best work. With memories of Forgetting Sarah Marshall and the likes of The 40-Year-Old Virgin in mind, the fun of Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates may be even mistaken for one of Apatow’s. And that’s a good thing.
The chemistry between Efron and Divine, together with dates Anna Kendrick as Alice and Aubrey Plaza as Tatiana, make the film a hoot from moment one to the final credits. Bouncing off copious amounts of guffaw laden dialogue really make it a rollicking laugh fest. Add to this a lengthy support cast of interesting characters that nail their roles and Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates becomes a winner all around.
Pointing out a few bonus delights; Sugar Lyn Beard is a stand out as Jeanie, the sister who has to survive her wedding while her brothers and their dates are coming at her from all sides. She’s this wonderful little doll who gets morphed from wimpy to wild when Alice sets her up with a sexually pervasive masseuse and some ecstasy prior to her wedding. But, Jeanie recovers, or at least she thinks so, until Mike and Dave go off the deep end with their uncontrollable clowning. As the bisexual cousin Terry, Alice Wetterlund makes her character off-the-wall with advances on Mikes date Tatiania and anyone else she can get her hands all over. The sauna scene is a laugh riot with Tatiania bargaining for some Rihanna back stage tickets.
BONUS FEATURES:
The Blu-ray Disc and the DVD have 90 minutes of scatterbrain comedy extras. So if you haven’t been laughed out from the film, then check them out.
“14 Deleted Scenes”, “16 Extended Scenes”, “Alternate Storyline Pig Sequence”, “Bits on Bits on Bits”, “Line-O-Rama”, “Gag Reel”, “Funny or Die Shorts”, “Director Commentary”, “Gallery” and the Red Band and Theatrical Trailers.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=D9G11Bar9jc
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates has been rated R by the MPAA for crude sexual content, language throughout, drug use and some graphic nudity. The language gets a little foulmouthed at times, but if you can get through it without being annoyed, you’ll have a fun time. Especially if you do not get embarrassed easily. How they came up with the sexual scene in the barn is beyond even my creative mind. Be cautious if deciding to watch the film if you have immature teens to tykes in your home.
FINAL ANALYSIS: One of the funniest comedies since Bridesmaids and The Hangover. (A-)
Specifications and additional video information:
Cast: Zac Efron, Adam Devine, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza, Stephen Root, Stephanie Faracy, Sugar Lyn Beard, Sam Richardson, Alice Wetterlund, Mary Holland
Directed by: Jake Szymanski
MPAA Rating: R for crude sexual content, language throughout, drug use and some graphic nudity
Genre: Comedy
Running Time: 1 hr. 38 min.
Original Theatrical Release Date: July 8, 2016
Video Release Date: September 27, 2016
Language: English (changeable to Spanish or French)
Reviewed Format: Blu-ray (also available in DVD and Combo Pack)
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1
Video: Widescreen, Aspect Ratio 2.39:1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French
Number of Discs: Combo Box has 2 Discs, plus Digital HD
Distributed by: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
