SPOILER WARNING: I’m always very careful to reveal minimal plot points in most of these blurbs, but I go a little deeper here. It’s not like this is Arrival or anything but just covering my bases in case you’re dying to see this.
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates is such ripoff of Wedding Crashers that it’s insulting. It’s not quite as insulting a the original Fast and Furious ripping off Point Break, that was like someone plagiarizing The Holy Bible or my Dad’s shake and bake recipe, but it’s just as blatant. This 2016 “millennial comedy” (the studio’s words, not mine) is loosely based on the true story of two brothers who posted an ad on NYC’s Craigslist seeking dates to their sister’s wedding and the post went viral. Take that premise, insert every single beat from Wedding Crashers only swap the gender roles and replace Annapolis with Hawaii, vuala…Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates. Seriously, Anna Kendrick IS Owen Wilson, Aubrey Plaza IS Vince Vaughn, Adam Devine IS Isla Fisher, and Zac Efron IS Rachel McAdams. Shit, there’s even a queer family member who keeps hitting on Plaza/Vaughn (The painting was a gift, Todd) and an aggressive family activity that leads to painful injury.
While Mike and Dave is a stencil of a movie, I didn’t hate it. Everyone in this cast is very likable after all (Anna Kendrick can do no wrong in my eyes) and there are less enjoyable ways to spend 90 minutes than watch this foursome party. Just don’t expect much more than that. Grade: C