Dinner for Schmucks (2010)

After viewing director Jay Roach’s Dinner for Schmucks, The Movie Gal dubbed the comedy “the most bipolar movie” she’d ever seen, and that essentially sums it up – Schmucks is hilariously malicious, the kind of film that beats its characters to a pulp, then points its finger and laughs. You’re supposed to be laughing too, but you may also find yourself shying away, averting your eyes while Schmucks continues to elbow you in the ribs, and laugh obnoxiously in your ear.

It’s an awkward and manipulative comedy style that star Steve Carell is quite familiar with, having traversed these volatile comedic waters in The 40 Year Old Virgin and the earlier seasons of The Office. And quite frankly, it is a brand that suits him well. Carell has a unique knack for empathetic, erstwhile annoyance. He’s the kind of man who can play an absolute idiot, and still manage to keep you on his side. And that’s exactly what he needed to do to make Schmucks a winner.