My friend Jen from Chicago came up to visit me Saturday afternoon. There was nothing going on, and we weren’t feeling like resting our asses on a bar stool all night, so we decided to rent a movie that we thought would be amusing enough to keep us from falling asleep before midnight on a Saturday.

Everyone raved about Wedding Crashers. Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn, Christopher Walken--a great combo of actors, no? I've enjoyed Wilson in the Wes Anderson films, and Vaughn was good in Dodgeball, Swingers, etc, etc, etc...I thought that even if the movie was cheesy, it'd be good cheesy. I was so wrong!

I enjoyed the prelude, where they're counseling that couple (was that dude Dwight Yoakum???) The wife snaps, "You keep your mouth shut when you're talking to me!" and Jeremy and John or whateverthefuck their names are point out that the sooner they are amicably divorced, the sooner he can continue screwing his mistress and she can find some hot "Latin" guy to get it on with. I found her comment ridiculous and their advice refreshingly honest and was therefore amused. I expected the rest of the movie to follow suit, but it was complete ass!!!

First of all, the sexism was infuriating. The beginning scene that shows them crashing all of the weddings, and throwing those skinny, mostly naked chicks on the beds, boobies full in effect, girls they wooed with their stupid, played out lines...insulting and just unrealistic. Clearly, I understand that "it's just a movie" but such movies play on male fantasy--that's what generates the interest and the cash. I know that a lot of dudes want more in a woman than a small brain, adoring eyes and a full rack, but this movie continually perpetuated the stereotype that women are gullible and men are conniving sex fiends, which is SO FUCKING BORInG.

Secondly, all of the characters were merely overexaggerations of every played out archetype. The drunk, crazy old grandma, the powerful yet humble politician, the oversexed wife who craves male attention, the sweetheart girl working to save the world, the academic jock who never grew up, the supposed older, wiser role model who is actually a big fucking jackass....etc, etc. BORING, BORING, BORING!

Thirdly, the plot was just way too saccharine. Wilson finally gets the girl by crashing her sister's wedding?!? LAME! So predictable. Lots of movies are predictable. Lots of movies revolve around a familiar plot. But there's gotta be a little something more to make it interesting!

If you are going to play on stereotypes, you have to find a new twist, at least. Make it a little bit smart, a wee bit smart, please! It's like the 40 Year Old Virgin--another dumb movie showcasing boring, stereotypical characters. Mere buffoonery. Take one trait and exaggerate it until there's nothing remotely relatable about the character. Nothing to challenge the viewer at all. That movie was a bit better, but all of Carrell's friends; god, they SUCKED!

Now, I'm all about some fluff, some just for pleasure, no brainer films. I'm not an art-film snob. I love teen films. But most of them are sassier and funnier than the movies I'm criticizing above. Heathers, Mean Girls, even the John Hughes stuff--there's stereotypes a plenty, but all of the movies have a message and a bit more edge.

Movies such as Wedding Crashers simplify life to such an extreme extent. People will deny it, but I think prolonged exposure to such media does affect us. Makes us lazy, expecting much from little effort, makes us believe too much in the American dream and Prince Charming. The key is limited exposure, or none at all. Personal choice comes into play, too, of course. But I think of folks who only see these types of films not by choice but because they don't know alternatives exist. I think it fucks with you. Personally, I can't stand the one dimensional ways such movies present male-female relationships. That's why I try to avoid them.

I'm just glad I got to share my disgust with a good friend. That is the only part of the 128 minutes that was worthwhile.