Yuck! See this movie at your own risk.
The Dilemma (Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Jennifer Connelly, Winona Ryder, Channing Tatum, Queen Latifah) – Tell me it ain’t so, Ronny. Ron Howard is an Academy Award winning director. So why did he do this rambling, sloppy, not-quite-a-comedy about best friends with women problems? In his early days as a director, Opie focused on comedies like Splash, Cocoon, and Gung Ho. His films were box office gold, and he turned to serious movies, dramas and even action flicks with even greater success and an Oscar for A Beautiful Mind. Please go back, Richie Cunningham.
The Dilemma focuses on Ronny Valentine (Vaughn) and Nick Brannen (James), former college mates who started a business building big-sounding engines for electric cars. Brannen is the insecure engineering genius (really?) while Valentine is the likable sales guy (OK, I buy this one). Brannen is married to Geneva (a resurgent Winona Ryder, who gives the best performance), who we find out early on is having an affair with a moron played by Channing Tatum of Dear John. Does this make sense? Of course, it’s Ronny that finds out about the cheating (that is in the trailer). He is torn between telling his best friend and staying mum due to the friends’ upcoming big presentation to Chrysler about its new engine (does this make sense?). Eventually, he confronts Geneva in the best sequence in the film but this only results in the movie turning bizarre. Instead of just telling Nick or even his girlfriend (Jennifer Connelly who really needs to get back to drama like Howard’s Beautiful Mind cause she sucks at comedy), he tries to get the goods on Geneva. He stalks her and her boyfriend, trying to capture pictures of the two together that he can show to his buddy. Yes, the deeper the film goes, the worse the movie gets. But, to be fair, this shows Vaughn at his bumbling best.
It all just breaks down as the movie goes serious, explores the fact that relationships are often not what you see and should be based on honesty. Eventually, of course, it all resolves to buddy hugs, self-realization, and smiles all around. By then, you just want to get out of the theater. Ronny, there have to be better movies to make than this (and better ways to get your brother, Clint, and your dad, Rance, parts in films).