Upon its release in late 1996, "Swingers" became the quintessential guy movie, the exact opposite of a "chick flick." It has since become a cult classic, and deservedly so. It also introduced audiences to (and launched the careers of) Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn.
In the last five years, both actors managed to find supporting roles in a number of movies. Favreau has supporting roles in "Deep Impact" and "The Replacements" while Vaughn is in "The Lost World: Jurassic Park 2" and " The Cell."
They have struggled to match the success predicted after "Swingers" hit it big, however, mostly because the parts (and movies) haven't been that good. So Favreau took matters into his own hands by starring in, writing and directing "Made," which co-stars Vaughn.
Bobby (Favreau) and Ricky (Vaughn) are best friends. Bobby is an amateur boxer hoping to hit the big time. He also lives with his stripper girlfriend Jessica (Famke Janssen) and her young daughter Chloe (Makenzie Vega). Bobby isn't the smartest guy in the world but he means well and wants to do right.
Ricky, on the other hand, definitely got shortchanged in the brains department and has a mouth that never stops running. He sees a future for himself and Bobby in the organization of an old-time mob boss named Max ("Columbo" himself, Peter Falk).
Bobby and Ricky agree to fly from LA to New York and perform a delivery for Max. They are given more money than they've ever seen and fly first class, making Ricky believe that the duo are rapidly on their way up.
In the Big Apple, they are given a driver named Jimmy ("The Sopranos" Vincent Pastore) and rooms at a fancy hotel.
The guys meet with Ruiz (Sean Combs), a young gangster who is helping them to make their delivery. Ricky, however, is making it difficult to complete their task and is putting their lives in jeopardy by constantly speaking when silence is required and attempting to enjoy the high life when he should be laying low.
"Made," while not exactly fresh or staggeringly original, is a highly enjoyable and consistently hilarious ride that is carried by its stellar cast, particularly Vaughn.
As in "Swingers," it's delightful to see Favreau and Vaughn working side by side. They play so well off of each other and have perfect chemistry. There are few better pairings in movies today, if any at all.
While the situations are familiar, the comedy that results from them is natural and well written. The entire cast works well together and there isn't a weak performance in the film. The music is excellent, too.
"Made" is just about as good as "Swingers," but drawing comparisons is pointless. Kick back and let Favreau and Vaughn put a smile on your face.
Grade: B+
"Made" opened Fri., July 27 at the Oriental Theatre.
