"The Dilemma" Movie Review: Not a Comedy, not a Drama, and Definitely not Worth Seeing

From Ron Howard, director of the better carmaker dramedy Gung Ho, The Dilemma is a myriad of subplots piled into the trunk of a lemon. Vince Vaughn is Ronny, co-owner of a boutique car-engine manufacturer. He’s the pitchman; the brains belong to Nick, played by Kevin James. Their intention—to build...

By Robert Wilonsky

January 13, 2011

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From Ron Howard, director of the better carmaker dramedy Gung Ho, The Dilemma is a myriad of subplots piled into the trunk of a lemon.

Vince Vaughn is Ronny, co-owner of a boutique car-engine manufacturer. He’s the pitchman; the brains belong to Nick, played by Kevin James. Their intention—to build the guts for the first electric-powered muscle car and sell the prototype to Dodge.

There’s the larger storyline: Ronny sees Nick’s wife (Winona Ryder) messing around with a tattooed love boy (Channing Tatum), and his inability to reveal the infidelity sends Ronny into a slapstick free-for-pratfall. Then there’s Ronny’s own commitment issues to girlfriend Jennifer Connelly, the frat boy’s wet dream in a Cubbies tee. Ah, and what of Ronny’s gambling addiction? Just wait for it.

And Queen Latifah’s here too—well, here and there, in a role that appears to have been added and then forgotten just about after she was hired. The Dilemma is a mess, in short— not comedy, not drama, not clever, not insightful, only forgettable.

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