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News / Columns / Critics Consensus
Critical Consensus: "Dupree" Misfires; "Little Man" Is Short On Laughs
by Tim Ryan | July 13, 2006
Discuss Article
This week at the movies, we've got some unwanted houseguests, in the guise of a guy with a bad case of arrested development ("You, Me and Dupree," starring Owen Wilson, Kate Hudson and Matt Dillon) and a pint-sized thief on the lam ("Little Man," starring Marlon and Shawn Wayans). Will the critics be welcoming, or will they boot these flicks into the street?

Owen Wilson has made a side career of crashing things. He (literally and figuratively) crashed weddings in "The Royal Tenenbaums" and "Wedding Crashers," and now, in "You, Me and Dupree," he's crashing on the couch of uptight newlyweds, played by Kate Hudson and Matt Dillon (who's been involved in a "Crash" of his own). The plot involves the recently jobless Wilson, whose free-wheeling antics get under the skin of his hosts. While the critics say "Dupree" is reasonably warm and fun, it's inconsistent and lacks the real comic punch to be anything more than mildly amiable. At 22 percent on the Tomatometer, "Dupree" may not be for you and me.


An unemployed Owen Wilson considers a career as an interior decorator.

Shawn and Marlon Wayans' previous film, "White Chicks," has legions of guilty defenders, despite (or, perhaps more accurately, because of) the fact that it's tasteless, ludicrous, and often downright bizarre. Now they're back with "Little Man," the story of a diminutive thief who poses as a baby in order to infiltrate the home of a suburban couple unwittingly in possession of stolen goods (said couple wisely takes the baby in, despite the fact that he has a mouthful of teeth). The question among critics is not whether "Little Man" is a good movie, but whether it contains laughs. Many say no, some resoundingly so, but for those of you who treasure lowbrow humor, politely ignore "Little Man"'s Tomatometer of 20 percent.


What's the least realistic thing in this picture? I say it's the fact that no babies wear bonnets like that anymore. Or the tat. One or the other.

Also opening this week, albeit in limited release: Francois Ozon's latest, "Time to Leave," is at 87 percent on the Tomatometer; "Gabrielle," starring Isabelle Huppert, is at 73 percent; "Changing Times," starring Catherine Deneuve and Gerard Depardieu, is at 70 percent; the black comedy "Mini's First Time" is at 50 percent; the David Mamet adaptation "Edmond" is at 33 percent; Ed Burns' latest guy-bonding flick "The Groomsmen" is at 29 percent; and the sex comedy "The Oh in Ohio" is at 24 percent.

Recent Owen Wilson Movies:
------------------------------------
76% -- Cars (2006)
75% -- Wedding Crashers (2005)
51% -- The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004)
63% -- Starsky and Hutch (2004)
17% -- The Big Bounce (2004)

Recent Movies Written and Starring Marlon and Shawn Wayans:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13% -- White Chicks (2004)
11% -- Scary Movie 2 (2001)
52% -- Scary Movie (2000)
24% -- Don't Be A Menace... (1996)

Related Items
Movie: The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou
Scary Movie
Mini's First Time
White Chicks
Don't Be a Menace...
The Groomsmen
Wedding Crashers
The Oh in Ohio
Cars
You, Me and Dupree
Crash
Changing Times
Time to Leave
Starsky & Hutch
The Big Bounce
Gabrielle
The Royal Tenenbaums
Scary Movie 2
Celeb: Owen Wilson
Catherine Deneuve
David Mamet
Gérard Depardieu
Matt Dillon
Shawn Wayans
Isabelle Huppert
Edward Burns
Francois Ozon
Marlon Wayans
Kate Hudson
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Comments (1-10 of 10 posts) | Reply
cgcbooks
cgcbooks writes:
on Jul 13 2006 05:48 PM

Dupree will win the box office race by 7 million over Little Man.

(Reply to this)
curtis
curtis writes:
on Jul 13 2006 07:57 PM

depree will only win because it is in more theaters. Both movies look bad. GO see POTC.

(Reply to this)
Flim Springfield
Flim Springfield writes:
on Jul 13 2006 08:47 PM

"Pirates" will still be #1, but I would also love to see "Superman" beat out both these movies.

(Reply to this)
IMAmoose24
IMAmoose24 writes:
on Jul 14 2006 07:08 AM

Me too. I think it deserves it too.

(Reply to this)
cgcbooks
cgcbooks writes:
on Jul 14 2006 02:18 PM

In reply to this comment (#840164)
Pirates suck.

(Reply to this)
cgcbooks
cgcbooks writes:
on Jul 14 2006 02:18 PM

In reply to this comment (#840164)
Pirates suck.

(Reply to this)
jofosho999
jofosho999 writes:
on Jul 14 2006 06:54 PM

you suck, you suck

(Reply to this)
dylan21484nj
dylan21484nj writes:
on Jul 15 2006 10:49 AM

let's face it, both Dupree and Little Man look like utter garbage but will have decent weekends. Dupree will take advantage of last year's "Wedding Crashers" success, while Little Man will lure in its target demographic of young African Amercian audiences with total lack of taste in film.

(Reply to this)
Simple Minded
Simple Minded writes:
on Jul 15 2006 01:16 PM

[b]Don't support this trash[/b]
Little Man looks like the WORST film of the year so far. Dupree is closely behind. It's sad because I just know these movies are going to make a whole load of cash. And if it makes money there will only be more of this junk. Go see Pirates if you want to be entertained go see Little Man if you want to sleep.


(Reply to this)
pota1967
pota1967 writes:
on Jul 16 2006 12:07 PM

Little Man made just a little bit more than Dupree. i wouldnt care to see either one but someone went to them

(Reply to this)
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