No Need to RSVP to the Theater
Two girls tricking two brothers into taking them to a Hawaiian wedding sounds like an attempt to create a female version of Wedding Crashers. Oddly enough, however, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, is inspired by a true story where two brothers went on Craigslist and TV to look for dates for their younger sister’s wedding. Of course, finding dates in this manner is not without its risks, and in this light-hearted summer comedy, the brothers definitely get more than what they bargained for.
Directed by Jake Szymanski (7 Days in Hell, 2015), Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates tells the story of two immature and co-dependent brothers, Dave and Mike Stangle, played by Zac Efron (Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, 2016) and Adam Devine (Pitch Perfect 2, 2015). With a history of misbehaving at family functions, their sister, who is getting married in Hawaii, along with their father have mandated that they need to find dates with the hopes that having arm candy will curb their mischievousness.
Although Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates will have the audience laughing particularly at certain scenes, the movie falls a few laughs short of being a must-see comedy. Nearly all of the truly humorous scenes are a result of Adam Devine’s comedic chops. He excels at playing the over-the-top immature moron, which he has played in both Pitch Perfect movies as well as his Workaholics persona, a TV show in which he co-created and stars. Zac Efron does a solid effort of keeping up with Adam Devine’s hilarity as he builds his comedic resume. Unfortunately, their roles are marred by the performance of Anna Kendrick and Aubrey Plaza. While both actors have shined in other comedic roles, their attempts to act crassly alongside Adam Devine and Zac Efron seemed forced and unnatural, and these roles do not suit their talents.
After countless failed attempts to find nice girls that their family would approve of, the two brothers seem to hit the jackpot by meeting two girls, Tatiana (Anna Kendrick, Pitch Perfect 2, 2015) and Alice (Aubrey Plaza, Dirty Grandpa, 2016), on a random night out on the town. Unbeknownst to the Stangle brothers, these two seemingly nice girls have targeted the brothers after learning of their situation on TV. Secretly these girls are potentially more crass and immature versions of the Stangle Brothers. However, Tatiana and Alice are able to coax Mike and Dave into inviting them to the wedding by pretending to be two innocent, sweet girls.
After initially keeping their façade through the beginning of the trip, eventually, the two girls cannot contain their true personalities and start to disrupt the planned festivities including an unplanned ATV tour that goes haywire. It does not help matters that Mike and Dave continue to behave like their normal, juvenile selves as well. As the wedding activities continue, Mike and Dave and their dates have to decide if they want to continue their misbehavior or turn things around and salvage the wedding weekend.
From the writers of Neighbors, Andrew Jay Cohen and Brendan O’Brien, don’t give the script enough legs as the characters lack depth (and brains). After one quick viewing, the film can be forgettable.
The Bottom-Line? While Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates certainly provides some laughs here and there, this summer flick falls short of being a must-see comedy and can wait for the rental.
Cast: Zac Efron (Dave Stangle), Adam Devine (Mike Stangle), Anna Kendrick (Alice), Aubrey Plaza (Tatiana), Stephen Root (Burt Stangle)
Credits: Directed by Jake Szymanski; Written by Andrew Jay Cohen and Brendan O’Brien.
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Run Time: 98 minutes
Jessica Aymond © July 10, 2016