Ebert's site gave Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates a mere 1.5 stars while the movie bottomed out at a disappointing 40% on Rotten Tomatoes. As unbiased as I try to be when walking into a movie, I can't lie and say there wasn't a bit of trepidation here. Walking out, not only was I happy that I went, but I'm also happy to recommend it. Consider it a sleeper if you will.
Mike and Dave, played by Adam DeVine and Zac Efron respectively, are known as the rabble rousers in the Stangle family. While they think they're just having some good, old-fashioned fun, they actually end up ruining every social event that they go to. Now, their sister Jeanie is getting married and she is demanding that they bring dates to the wedding in order for them to be kept in shape. As it turns out, the two girls they end up choosing are ten times wilder than Mike and Dave are prepared for.
The movie is pretty darn funny with its comedy hitting you in multiple ways. You'll get a little bit of subtle comedy from Anna Kendrick while Efron is just outright funny. On the flip side of the coin, DeVine hits you with a few over-the-top moments while Aubrey Plaza says things that will make you cringe but shake your head with laughter at the same time. The laughs come frequently with this movie being one that doesn't give you all the goods in the trailers. There was a definite chemistry working between the four actors that made things even funnier.
Beyond the laughs, I was happy to find that this film also carried some depth. The characters were developed especially well with substance behind what got them to their respective places in their lives. Dave loves his brother to death and is willing to do anything for him even if it means sacrificing his own dreams. Meanwhile, Plaza's character Aubrey is trying to help her best friend Alice (Kendrick) pick up the pieces of a broken life. Aubrey has tried to so hard to help her friend that she is neglecting the shortcomings in her own life. Even though these characters are a mess together, they would be even worse off alone. This added touch to the movie helps elevate it past the "just something to tickle your funny bone" level.
My one gripe: I did think the movie was a bit too predictable. You can probably guess before you even sit down how things end up. Still, far be it from me to spoil things. I give this movie an 85.
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