View source for Dinner for Schmucks

{{Short description|2010 film by Jay Roach}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Dinner for Schmucks
| image          = Dinner for schmucks ver2.jpg
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| alt            = Steve Carell grinning maniacally stares from over Paul Rudd's shoulder
| director       = [[Jay Roach]]
| producer       = {{ubl|[[Walter F. Parkes]]|[[Laurie MacDonald]]|Jay Roach}}
| screenplay     = {{ubl|David Guion|Michael Handelman}}
| based_on       = {{Based on|''[[The Dinner Game|Le Dîner de Cons]]''|[[Francis Veber]]}}
| starring       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Steve Carell]]
* [[Paul Rudd]]
* [[Zach Galifianakis]]
* [[Jemaine Clement]]
* [[Jeff Dunham]]
* [[Bruce Greenwood]]
* [[Ron Livingston]]<!---Per poster billing block--->
}}
| music          = [[Theodore Shapiro]]
| cinematography = [[Jim Denault]]
| editing        = {{Unbulleted list|[[Alan Baumgarten]]|[[Jon Poll]]}}
| studio         = {{Unbulleted list|[[DreamWorks Pictures]]|[[Spyglass Entertainment]]|[[Walter F. Parkes|Parkes]] + [[Laurie MacDonald|MacDonald Productions]]|[[Jay Roach|Everyman Pictures]]|[[Reliance Entertainment]]<ref name="LA Times">{{cite news |last= Zeitchik |first= Steven | date= July 25, 2010 |url = https://articles.latimes.com/2010/jul/25/entertainment/la-ca-schmucks-20100725/4 |archive-url = https://archive.today/20130127104237/http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jul/25/entertainment/la-ca-schmucks-20100725/4 |url-status = dead |archive-date = January 27, 2013 |title='Dinner for Schmucks': a long time between courses | page = 4 |work= [[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date= July 31, 2010}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=April 2016}}}}
| distributor    = [[Paramount Pictures]]
| released       = {{Film date|2010|7|30}}
| runtime        = 114 minutes
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = $62.7–69 million<ref name="latimes-budget"/>
| gross          = $86.9 million<ref name="mojo"/>
}}
'''''Dinner for Schmucks''''' is a 2010 American [[comedy film]] directed by [[Jay Roach]] and based on [[Francis Veber]]'s 1998 French film ''[[The Dinner Game|Le Dîner de Cons]]''.

Starring [[Steve Carell]] and [[Paul Rudd]], with [[Jemaine Clement]], [[Jeff Dunham]], [[Bruce Greenwood]], and [[Ron Livingston]] in supporting roles, the film tells the story of a rising executive who finds out that his work superiors host a dinner celebrating the [[idiocy]] of their guests. He questions it when he is invited, just as he befriends a man who would be the perfect guest.

''Dinner for Schmucks'' was released in theaters on July 30, 2010, by [[Paramount Pictures]] and [[DreamWorks Pictures]] and grossed $86.9 million against a $69 million budget.

==Plot==
Tim Conrad finds a way to get wealthy businessman Martin Mueller as a client. Impressed by Tim's ingenuity, his boss Lance Fender says he is a candidate for a promotion but wants to get to know him better. He invites him to a dinner in which he must find and bring an eccentric person with a special talent to be mocked by the executives; the winner earns a trophy and the executive who brought him or her gets glory.

Tim excitedly tells his long-time girlfriend, Julie, about the possible promotion and dinner but she is offended by the idea of inviting strange people to a dinner just to mock them, telling him to refuse the invitation.

The next day, Tim accidentally hits Barry Speck with his car as he is trying to retrieve a dead mouse from the road. Witnessing Barry's bizarre behavior, including taxidermy and arranging mice into [[diorama]]s based on famous artwork, "Mousterpieces", Tim realizes he is the perfect idiot for the dinner. Julie finds out Tim is inviting Barry to the dinner and leaves their apartment after Tim insists he must go, as he has to in order to continue providing for them.

Barry shows up at Tim's apartment thinking the dinner event was that very evening, accidentally inviting over Darla, a female [[pro wrestler]] Tim slept with once, who is obsessed with him. After scolding Barry for inviting Darla over, explaining who she is, Barry takes it upon himself to keep Darla away from Tim, confusing Julie for her. Their conversation leads her to believe Tim is cheating on her and she once again leaves. When Tim realizes what Barry has done, he believes Julie may be at Kieran Vollard's, an artist whose work she is selling at a gallery and who has expressed interest in her.

Tim and Barry sneak into Vollard's apartment, but learn Julie is not there. They return to Tim's and Barry lets Darla in. Julie calls and asks Tim if he's having an affair, but Darla steals the phone, stuffing it down her pants. The call ends abruptly, making Julie believe he is cheating. As Tim hides in his bedroom trying to reach Julie, Darla and Barry have a bar-style fight, scaring Darla away.

Barry takes Tim to his [[IRS]] office to find Vollard's ranch address, meeting Barry's boss and rival, Therman Murche. He claims to have the "talent" of mind control, and has authored a book about it. He also had stolen Barry's ex-wife after Barry caught them cheating. Barry, Tim and Therman have a strange encounter, which results in Tim getting audited. Tim leaves the next day for a brunch with Mueller and his wife, but Barry crashes it, bringing Darla along pretending to be Julie. Tim is pushed into asking Darla to marry him, and Julie walks in during the proposal. Tim and Barry chase Julie down to Vollard's ranch, where Tim finally snaps at Barry about his actions.

At the dinner party, Tim is surprised to find Barry already at the dinner party, having forgiven Tim for his outburst. Barry's antics along with his "Mousterpieces" are a hit with the group, and he is seemingly a shoo-in for the trophy. Unexpectedly, however, Therman arrives as the "guest" of another executive, embarrassing Barry with his mind control. Tim then tells Barry the truth about the dinner party and, after some encouragement, gets Barry to defeat Therman by using his own powers of "brain control."

Fender congratulates Tim on bringing Barry to the dinner as his idiot, and Tim, offended, insults Fender before defending Barry. The other guests then learn they were brought to the dinner only to be mocked, leading to a chaotic brawl between the guests and the executives. The brawl ultimately leads to Mueller losing his finger and prized family ring and Fender's mansion burning down.

In an epilogue told through a series of Barry's "Mousterpieces", Tim and Julie manage to reconcile with Barry's help. Tim is fired, as is Julie, after Barry makes Vollard realize it would be a problem to have her continue working for him. Tim and Julie marry, Barry gets to have sex with Darla and also does some artwork with Vollard while Therman writes a book in a [[mental hospital]]. Fender Financial, meanwhile, went out of business, leaving Fender to be named as Wall Street’s biggest loser.

==Cast==
{{Cast listing|
* [[Steve Carell]] as Barry Speck
* [[Paul Rudd]] as Tim Conrad
* [[Stéphanie Szostak]] as Julie
* [[Jemaine Clement]] as Kieran Vollard
* [[Lucy Punch]] as Darla
* [[Zach Galifianakis]] as Therman Murch
* [[Bruce Greenwood]] as Lance Fender
* [[Ron Livingston]] as Caldwell
* [[Andrea Savage]] as Robin
* [[David Walliams]] as Martin Mueller
* [[Lucy Davenport]] as Birgit Mueller
* [[P. J. Byrne]] as Davenport
* [[Octavia Spencer]] as Madame Nora
* [[Jeff Dunham]] as Lewis / Diane
* [[Chris O'Dowd]] as Marco
* [[Kristen Schaal]] as Susana
* [[Patrick Fischler]] as Vincenzo
* [[Randall Park]] as Henderson
* [[Larry Wilmore]] as Williams
* [[Blanca Soto]] as Catherine
* [[Nick Kroll]] as Josh
* [[Alex Borstein]] as Martha Speck
}}

==Production==
The budget for the film was split between the distributor [[Paramount Pictures]], as well as [[DreamWorks Pictures]] and [[Spyglass Entertainment]]. The production budget was $69 million, but with tax credits the cost came in at $62.7 million.<ref name="latimes-budget">{{cite news
| title = Movie projector: 'Schmucks,' cats, dogs and Zac Efron will all open behind 'Inception'
| url = http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2010/07/schmucks-cats-dogs-and-zac-efron-will-all-open-behind-inception.html
| work = [[Los Angeles Times]]
| access-date = August 5, 2010
| archive-date = November 9, 2021
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211109001734/https://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2010/07/schmucks-cats-dogs-and-zac-efron-will-all-open-behind-inception.html
| url-status = live
}}</ref> Filming of the dinner scene took place at the same location that was used for [[Wayne Manor]] in the [[Batman (TV series)|1960s ''Batman'' television series]].<ref>{{cite news
| date = May 2, 2010
| author = Yvonne Villarreal
| title = Summer Sneaks: 'Dinner for Schmucks'. Steve Carell and Paul Rudd, together again
| url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-may-02-la-ca-schmucks-20100502-story.html
| newspaper = [[Los Angeles Times]]
| pages = 2
| access-date = August 15, 2024
| archive-date = June 27, 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230627094809/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-may-02-la-ca-schmucks-20100502-story.html
| url-status = live
}}</ref>

''Dinner for Schmucks'' is the American adaptation of the French film ''[[The Dinner Game|Le Dîner de Cons]]'' (literally, "The Dinner of Idiots"). The film retains many familiar elements of the original, with the basic plot, including the involvement of the taxation authorities and the love triangle around the main character Tim. In the remake, however, Tim is made much more sympathetic (this is the first dinner he has participated in, and he is not in fact having an affair or deliberately cheating on his taxes), and the actual dinner is shown. Director Roach describes the film as "inspired by" the original rather than a remake.<ref name="hollywoodnews.com-interview">{{cite news
| date = July 26, 2010
| last = O’Connell
| first = Sean
| title = Interview: "Dinner for Schmucks" director Jay Roach on Steve Carell, Paul Rudd and Sacha Baron Cohen
| url = http://www.hollywoodnews.com/2010/07/26/interview-dinner-for-schmucks-director-jay-roach-on-steve-carell-paul-rudd-and-sacha-baron-cohen/
| work = hollywoodnews.com
| access-date = August 26, 2010
| archive-date = December 31, 2010
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101231203438/http://www.hollywoodnews.com/2010/07/26/interview-dinner-for-schmucks-director-jay-roach-on-steve-carell-paul-rudd-and-sacha-baron-cohen/
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>

===Title===
Debate ensued{{where|date=February 2013}}{{when|date=February 2013}} about the title's usage of the Yiddish word [[Schmuck (pejorative)|schmucks]] which is a mild cultural insult similar to "[[idiot]]" which technically refers to the [[penis]].
[[Debbie Schlussel]] asked whether the title should have been ''Dinner for [[List of English words of Yiddish origin|Schlemiels]]'' as it would better describe the clumsy character played by Steve Carell.<ref>{{cite web
| date = April 7, 2010
| author = Debbie Schlussel
| author-link = Debbie Schlussel
| title = "Dinner For Schmucks": Hollywood Brings Us More Garbage for Summer Movie Season
| url = http://www.debbieschlussel.com/20212/dinner-for-schmucks-hollywood-brings-us-more-garbage-for-summer-movie-season/
| access-date = August 3, 2010
| archive-date = August 2, 2010
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100802001153/http://www.debbieschlussel.com/20212/dinner-for-schmucks-hollywood-brings-us-more-garbage-for-summer-movie-season
| url-status = live
}}</ref>
Responding in ''[[The New York Times]]'', critic [[Michael Cieply]] determined that the intent was to be ambiguous as to which of the two main characters, played by [[Steve Carell]] and [[Paul Rudd]], was the intended idiot.<ref>{{cite news
| url= https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/04/movies/04dinner.html
| title= Much Movie Title Meshugas
| author= Michael Cieply
| author-link= Michael Cieply
| work= [[The New York Times]]
| date= May 4, 2010
| access-date= August 3, 2010
| archive-date= May 13, 2010
| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100513203117/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/04/movies/04dinner.html
| url-status= live
}}</ref>

In ''[[The Forward]]'', Laura Hodes suggested that 'schmucks' correctly referred instead to the behavior of the film's antagonists, the bosses of Rudd's character.<ref>{{cite news | url= http://www.forward.com/articles/129781/ | title= Of 'Schmucks' and Schlemiels | author= Laura Hodes | publisher= [[The Forward]] | date= August 3, 2010 | access-date= August 3, 2010 | archive-date= December 29, 2010 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101229214941/http://www.forward.com/articles/129781/ | url-status= live }}</ref>

==Release==
''Dinner for Schmucks'' was pushed back a week to July 30, 2010, to avoid competition with ''[[Salt (2010 film)|Salt]]'' and ''[[Inception]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://screencrave.com/2010-06-09/dinner-for-schmucks-delayed-runs-from-salt-inception/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726073004/http://screencrave.com/2010-06-09/dinner-for-schmucks-delayed-runs-from-salt-inception/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 26, 2011 |title=Dinner for Schmucks Delayed – Runs from Salt, Inception |publisher=Screencrave.com |date=June 9, 2010 |access-date=August 5, 2010}}</ref><ref>''Variety'' magazine, June 9, 2010</ref>

===Marketing===
As part of promoting the film, the website [[Funny or Die]] featured videos of Jemaine Clement in character as Kieran Vollard.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://screencrave.com/2010-07-16/new-dinner-for-schmucks-clip-and-character-features/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726073044/http://screencrave.com/2010-07-16/new-dinner-for-schmucks-clip-and-character-features/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 26, 2011 |title=New Dinner for Schmucks Clip and Character Features |publisher=Screencrave.com |date=July 16, 2010 |access-date=August 5, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.funnyordie.com/dinner_for_schmucks |title=Dinner_For_Schmucks on Funny or Die |publisher=Funnyordie.com |access-date=August 5, 2010 |archive-date=July 19, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100719215801/http://www.funnyordie.com/dinner_for_schmucks |url-status=live }}</ref>

The film's first trailer debuted with ''[[Date Night]]'', ''[[Death at a Funeral (2010 film)|Death at a Funeral]]'', and ''[[A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010 film)|A Nightmare on Elm Street]]''. The second trailer was shown before select screenings of ''[[The A-Team (film)|The A-Team]]'', ''[[Get Him to the Greek]]'', ''[[Grown Ups (film)|Grown Ups]]'', and ''[[Inception]]''.

===Box office===
''Dinner for Schmucks'' made $8.4 million on its first day, ranking number two at the box office, behind ''Inception''. The film earned $23.5 million on its opening weekend, placing it second overall for the weekend of July 30 to August 1.<ref name="mojo">{{cite web
| title = Dinner for Schmucks (2010)
| url = https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=dinnerforschmucks.htm
| work = [[Box Office Mojo]]
| publisher = [[Amazon.com]]
| access-date = November 30, 2011
}}</ref> It ultimately grossed $73 million in North America and $13.4 million internationally, for a total of $86.4 million worldwide. The film was released in the [[United Kingdom]] on September 3, 2010, and opened on #2, behind ''[[The Last Exorcism]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title= Weekend box office 3rd September 2010 - 5th September 2010 |publisher= www.25thframe.co.uk |url= http://www.25thframe.co.uk/charts/chart.php?chart=20100903 |access-date= April 17, 2017 |archive-date= October 6, 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171006012519/http://www.25thframe.co.uk/charts/chart.php?chart=20100903 |url-status= live }}</ref>

===Home media===
''Dinner for Schmucks'' was released on [[DVD-Video|DVD]] and [[Blu-ray]] Disc on January 4, 2011.

==Reception==
{{Anchor|Critics}}
On [[Rotten Tomatoes]] the film holds an approval rating of 42% based on 191 reviews, with an average rating of 5.40/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "It doesn't honor its source material—or its immensely likable leads—as well as it should, but ''Dinner for Schmucks'' offers fitfully nourishing comedy."<ref name="tomatoes">{{cite web
| url = https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dinner_for_schmucks/
| title = Dinner for Schmucks
| work = [[Rotten Tomatoes]]
| publisher = [[Fandango Media|Fandango]]
| access-date = November 9, 2021
| archive-date = October 30, 2021
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211030220834/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dinner_for_schmucks
| url-status = live
}}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film has a weighted average score of 56 out of 100, based on 37 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".<ref name="metacritic">{{cite web| url = https://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/dinnerforschmucks| title = Dinner for Schmucks| work = [[Metacritic]]| publisher = [[CBS]]| access-date = November 30, 2011| archive-date = August 2, 2010| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100802053153/http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/dinnerforschmucks?| url-status = live}}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale.<ref>{{cite web |date= August 1, 2010 |last1= Finke |first1= Nikki |title= Nolan's 'Inception' #1 For 3rd Weekend; Carell's 'Dinner For Schmucks' Opens #2; But Zac Efron's 'Charlie St Cloud' Only #6 |url= https://deadline.com/2010/07/first-box-office-dinner-with-schmucks-1-friday-charlie-st-cloud-4-cats-dogs-6-58562/ |website= Deadline Hollywood |quote= Despite poor reviews, the film with its “B” CinemaScore this weekend now is meeting Hollywood’s mid-$20sM expectations. |access-date= December 3, 2019 |archive-date= December 3, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191203205537/https://deadline.com/2010/07/first-box-office-dinner-with-schmucks-1-friday-charlie-st-cloud-4-cats-dogs-6-58562/ |url-status= live }}</ref>

[[Roger Ebert]] of the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'' gave the film 3 out of 4:{{cquote|The genius of this version depends on the performance by Steve Carell, who plays Barry Speck as a man impervious to insult and utterly at peace with himself. He's truly a transcendent idiot.<ref>{{cite web 
| last = Ebert 
| first = Roger 
| author-link = Roger Ebert 
| title = Dinner for Schmucks movie review (2010) 
| url = https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/dinner-for-schmucks-2010 
| website = [[Chicago Sun-Times]] 
| access-date = December 3, 2019 
| archive-date = December 3, 2019 
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191203210048/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/dinner-for-schmucks-2010 
| url-status = live 
}}</ref>}}

==Accolades==
{{Anchor|Awards|Nominations}}
In 2010, Steve Carell was nominated for the [[Satellite Award]] for Best Actor for his performance as Barry Speck.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{IMDb title|0427152|Dinner for Schmucks}}
* {{Rotten-tomatoes|dinner_for_schmucks|Dinner for Schmucks}}
* {{Mojo title|dinnerforschmucks|Dinner for Schmucks}}
<!-- Read [[WP:EL]] before adding additional links. -->

{{Jay Roach}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dinner For Schmucks}}
[[Category:2010 films]]
[[Category:2010s screwball comedy films]]
[[Category:American remakes of French films]]
[[Category:American screwball comedy films]]
[[Category:American slapstick comedy films]]
[[Category:DreamWorks Pictures films]]
[[Category:Films about animal rights]]
[[Category:Films about human rights]]
[[Category:Films directed by Jay Roach]]
[[Category:Films set in California]]
[[Category:Paramount Pictures films]]
[[Category:Reliance Entertainment films]]
[[Category:Spyglass Entertainment films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Theodore Shapiro]]
[[Category:2010 comedy films]]
[[Category:Films produced by Walter F. Parkes]]
[[Category:2010s English-language films]]
[[Category:2010s American films]]
[[Category:Films based on works by Francis Veber]]