Made review

Reunited five years after Swingers made them both stars, Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn are in danger of becoming a genuine comedy double act. It's long been a beloved commodity of American cinema and one much missed with the passing of Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. Made may lack the sustained wit and originality of Swingers, but the pair's undoubted chemistry goes a long way in making up for the film's shortcomings.

Favreau makes a competent if uninspired directorial debut with Made, a loosely plotted gangster movie whose implausibilities are pasted over with humour. However, where Favreau does excel is his writing, here exhibiting the same wry dialogue that was the feature of Swingers.

Bobby (Favreau) is an aspiring if adequate boxer employed by Max (Peter Falk), a low rent mobster who has his hand in numerous pies, one being running a stable of lap dancers that include Bobby's girlfriend Jessica (Famke Janssen). When Bobby proves himself a trifle over zealous in his role of chaperoning Jessica at work, Max decides it's time to use his brawn in a different capacity. He sends him to New York as the muscle factor to assist his East Coast connection, the street smart and smooth Ruiz (Sean Combs), in making a deal. For the conscientious Bobby, this task shouldn't be a problem, however he convinces a reluctant Max to let his long time buddy Ricky help out. Max's dislike of Ricky has more to do with him once losing one of his carpet cleaning vans than the fact that Ricky is an irresponsible loud mouth with a penchant for alcohol and women.

The travails of Bobby and Ricky, as they find themselves in the Big Apple for the first time while masquerading as mobsters, provides the central core of the humour in Made. The fish out of water set up is exploited fully, particularly in their dealings with the hustler Ruiz, played with an impressive understated menace by Combs. However, while Ricky's incessant and unfiltered babble is amusing at times, it can also wear thin making you wonder why the more prudent Bobby would ever hang around with such a jerk.

The film's sensitive core is provided by the sub-plot involving Jessica, whose chaotic lifestyle is making it increasingly difficult for her to bring up her young daughter. Overwhelmed, she entrusts the role of guardian to Bobby, resulting in some tender and funny scenes as he and Ricky adopt very different views on parenthood.

One of the features of having the same person write, direct and star in a movie is that it becomes very much one person's vision. And although in many instances that can be a good thing, there are times when the objectivity and input of others might have helped. Made has much to recommend it, but ultimately you come away with a sense of disappointment and the hope that the two stars find a better vehicle with which to team up next time out.