Dinner for Schmucks

On paper Jay Meet the Parents Roach’s new film sounds appetising. But this remake of Francis Veber’s passable 1998 French comedy Le dîner de cons squanders a cast headed by Steve Carell and Paul Rudd, and supported by Lucy Punch, David Walliams, Chris O’Dowd, US ventriloquist Jeff Dunham and The Hangover’s Zach Galifianakis.

Promotion-seeking executive Tim (Rudd) attempts to find a loser to compete at his boss’ ‘dinner for winners’, which rewards – and secretly belittles – the biggest oddball of the night. Tim is in with a chance, however, after meeting awkward tax agent Barry (Carell), a man with a penchant for creating artwork from dead mice. But as annoying as Barry becomes, Tim soon finds his loyalty tested.

Roach’s film isn’t without amusing moments, but it struggles to balance the eccentric and sentimental tenets of the original. A bloated running time also severely tests the patience.

General release, Fri 3 Sep.