Dinner for Schmucks (2010)

Steve Carell (with the possible exception of Jim Carrey) is the only guy who could carry off the role of the mawkishly awkward dweeb who stumbles over (or is almost run over by) an up-and-coming executive candidate (Paul Rudd), who the company president has invited to a "secret dinner" where the employee who presents the biggest idiot gets the promotion. We know Carell's character is a hopeless nerd, but a harmless and lovable guy, before we meet him because the opening credits feature a wonderfully quirky soundtrack and the detail-oriented assembly of his city park tableau of stuffed and dressed mice who are boating, picnicking, cycling, riding the swings, and so on. He is a romantic dreamer at heart, albeit socially a dunderhead who blithely traipses across personal boundaries. This makes a great setup for the havoc and chaos that ensues. Dinner for Schmucks, for me, is as funny as The Hangover -- great story potential and fairly good execution with missed humor opportunities and yeomanlike production. The movie rolls (or sometimes lurches) from scene to scene, with the most watchable characters limited to Carell, Rudd, the fiancee, and the stalker. 3.5 stars. (1-5-2011, posted 3-9-2016)