+ Best Crude Comedy of the Year + Best Buddy Movie of the Year + Best LGBT Movie of the Year
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| Kevin James wears a fireman's helmet and screams the silliness of Dennis Dugan's I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry out on this delightfully game poster |
A widower firefighter wants to secure his inheritance in case of his own death, and as that is easiest done with him being in a new marriage, he persuades his best friend to marry him pro forma. But then ...
I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry is written by Jim Taylor (Jurassic Park III (2001)), Alexander Payne (The Passion of Martin (1991) and Barry Fanaro (Men in Black II (2002)), based on a treatment by Lew Gallo (Handle with Care (1977, TV movie), producer) and directed by Dennis Dugan (Brain Donors (1992)).
There may well be a whiff (or a major stank, depending on your outlook) of bad taste or perhaps rather of tastelessness about this buddy comedy, which seems to scream out crude comedy about prostate problems, farts, gay stereotypes and so on, - but the fun is well-intentioned at the same time.
It also features a stellar ensemble, who rake in many laughs, at least from this gay critic: Kevin James (Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009)) and Adam Sandler (The King of Queens (2007), TV-series) are partially affable and funny; Ving Rhames (Back in the Day (2005)) surprises in a funny closeted role; Steve Buscemi (ER (2008), TV-series) is good as the stickler villain, and Rob Schneider (The Benchwarmers (2006)), Dan Aykroyd (Nothing But Trouble (1991)) and others keep the comedic propeller going.
I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry just needs you to lower your guards and enjoy it.
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Watch a trailer for the film here
Cost: 85 mil. $
Box office: 186 mil. $
= Flop (returned 2.18 times the cost)
[I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry premiered 12 July (Universal City, California) and runs 115 minutes. Tom Shadyac was developing the film as I Now Pronounce You Joe and Benny in 1999 with Nicolas Cage and Will Smith starring. Shooting took place in New York, Los Angeles, California and in Ontario, Canada from September 2006 - ?. Payne was unhappy with the liberties taken with his version of the script, at one point reportedly wanted his name stripped from the film, criticizing the "Sandler-izing" of his work. The film opened #1 to a 34.2 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent two more weeks in the top 5 (#2-#4) and grossed 120 mil. $ (64.5 % of the total gross). The massive budget for the film, which seems extremely oversized, worked against it ever breaking even. Its 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Germany with 13.3 mil. $ (7.2 %) and the UK with 8.3 mil. $ (4.5 %). Most critics at the release seemed to be competing in being insulted by the film and lambasting it. Dugan returned with You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008), Sandler's next movie. James returned in Elmo's Christmas Countdown (2007, TV movie), in an uncredited part in You Don't Mess with the Zohan and then as the lead in Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009). I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry is rotten at 14 % with a 3.6/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]
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