The Dilemma

Title: The Dilemma

Director: Ron Howard

Genre: Comedy

Format: DVD and Digital Download

Rating: PG-13

Starring: Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Jennifer Connelly, Winona Ryder, Channing Tatum and Queen Latifah

      Since college, Ronny and Nick have been best friends. Now, they are partners in an auto design business, and they are vying for a deal that could land them a lot of prestige and a lot of money. Nick (the brain behind the designing) is feeling the pressure of delivering the best design of his life and his wife, Geneva (played by Winona Ryder) is by his side. Ronny, a confirmed bachelor, seems to be unflappable, but still has the support of his girlfriend (Jennifer Connelly).

     But Ronny's cool façade doesn't last for very long.

     While out one day, Ronny stumbles upon Geneva and sees her making out with someone who is most definitely not his best friend. His easy going manner dissolves as he makes it his mission to get answers. As he debates on how to break the news to his best buddy, he learns that Nick has a few secrets of his own. The more he learns the harder his dilemma of confessing what he knows to his best friend becomes.

      To tell or not to tell, that is the question…

      I haven't seen a good ol' Bromance in a long time…if ever. But this is exactly what I would call this movie. Some may say that Ronny and Nick have a brotherly bond, and I would allow that. But to me it's a Bromance all the way.

      I wasn't sure what to expect when I turned this movie on, but you know I liked it. I thought it was pretty funny. Vince Vaughn and Kevin James make a good pair, and they play off each other well. As I watching them on the screen I wondered if perhaps they were friends in real life. They look like they would be. The make a nice couple….awwww.

     Okay, enough of the mushy guy stuff. This movie wasn't that mushy anyway. My favorite (and most manly) part of the movie was the cars. If you like to look at hot cars then this movie is for you. I, for one, have been trying to talk my husband into trading in his Dodge Ram for a Doge Challenger for months now. This movie just made my little obsession worse. Ronny drives a vintage Challenger convertible that is so sweet. And the current model Challenger they show is pretty awesome too.

     Ronny discovers that Nick's wife is cheating on him. He takes the news hard (even a little personally), and it seemed to shake everything he believed was possible for relationships. Which, I found very believable considering that he had seemed to look to his friend for relationship advice. He becomes obsessed with gathering evidence to use against Geneva, and he struggles with how and when to tell his buddy the bad news. Frankly, I found his amateur spying amusing, but not really believable. I kind of find it hard to believe that a man would go to such lengths to out his boy's woman. To me, if a guy was going to say anything, he would just say it over a beer and then buy the guy and extra shot or two. But, in the spirit of a Bromance I went along for the ride, and it was a good time.

     I found myself irritated and mad at Geneva a lot because of her behavior and even her lies. But I think the reason I got so irritated was because Winona Ryder played the character well. She played the part of a neglected, lonely wife to a tee and I understood when she got angry at Ronny for butting himself into her marriage.

      But, hey, lady….you do the crime, you pay the fine. And you deserved what you got.  

      Nick wasn't innocent in his marriage either.  Kevin James played the character well, appearing as a stressed out business man, having his "creative" outbursts but then apologizing later and trying to be a great friend. I think a lot of people can relate to him in that most of us are trying to hold it all together and put out a certain front to the world but behind closed doors…things aren't always what they seem. (Note: I am in no way saying that I visit the same massage parlor as him for certain services…get your minds out of the gutter people!)

     I cannot conclude this review without mentioning Queen Latifah, who cracked me up as a go get 'em business lady who considered herself as part of Ronny and Nick's team. And also, Channing Tatum,who played Geneva's boy toy, Zip. I have a little soft spot for this guy but I will say that when he took a bat to the classic Challenger (Oh, yes, he did!) I thought about smacking him. And what was with those clunky boots he was wearing? Frankly, I preferred when he was underdressed. But that is just me, I guess.

     In conclusion, the cast was good, the lines were funny, and the cars were sexy. What more could you want in a bromance? Even behind all the comedy there was a lesson to be learned here people. The movie is educational. Don't cheat on your spouse….and if you do…don't get caught. Throughout the movie I asked myself and my husband what would you do if you were in the same situation? I pondered the question for a while but could only come to one conclusion:

I'd sing like a canary then run like hell.

What would you do?

Review is written by Cambria Hebert