Delivery Man (2013)
Writers: Ken Scott and Martin Petit
Cast: Vince Vaughn (David), Chris Pratt (Brett), Cobie Smulders (Emma), Andrzej Blumenfeld (Mikolaj), Simon Deleney (Victor), Bobby Moynihan (Aleksy), Dave Patten (Adam), and Adam Chanler-Berat as Viggo.
The time has come to review feel good movies, and for sometime this site, the Reeltime Movie Review, has almost only carved a section of the apple. Feel good movies are what makes all audiences cry, and some laughter is involved. The Internship, really is the only feel good movie this site has, for shame on me, for not reviewing more films that make people cry, and somehow in a distorted way, the film can bring out a message of some kind. Believe me when i tell you comedies are not feel good movies. Delivery Man is a perfect example of it, yes it is a comedy but it focuses on the story's characters, that is a feel good movie. The story is only along for the ride, as the characters take over the plot. Take the movie Philomena, it had all the key elements of a great story, and it was. The film was also based on true events, which made the film better. The key points of the film were very noticeable, with that being said, remember the scene in the film where Philomena is watching the video of her son growing up, the shots were close ups, and the emotion she conveyed, a beautiful moment. When the film focuses on the characters, instead of focusing on the story, it's a feel good film. All sports films are feel good movies, because they focus on the characters, and seeing that sports films are about people playing a loved sport, to me it's a feel good movie. Now that we got that straight, lets move right along to the review, shall we.
Warning: some material is not suitable for younger readers, not going to say bad words or anything like that, but the content of this film is a bit adult.
David Wosniak (Vince Vaughn) a man with a slew of money problems, from the start he racks up the debt, which puts him in a bad position wherever he goes. David (Vaughn) works with his brothers, a family owned business in the meat industry. David (Vaughn) is a delivery guy who pretty much messes up things, pretty bad for a grown man, maybe it's fate, but this dude is not lucky. Then there is David's best friend, Brett (Chris Pratt), a not so gifted lawyer who's advice on not having kids is on the epic scale. Remember that weird friend we all have sometime in our lives, well yes Brett (Pratt) is that kinda friend. Not that i have a problem with that friend, but advice can be important sometime, and having good vs bad advice can make a difference in your life. Lets move on to his brothers shall we; They're hard working men with very good standing in life, something David is not, or at least tries to accomplish but somehow fails every time, not like that's an issue, but for David it slows him down. Victor (Simon Delaney), and Aleksy (Bobby Moynihan), and their father the owner of the meat market Mikolaj (Andrzej Blumenfeld).
The pregnant girlfriend, Emma (Cobie Smulders) who David vists and tries to explain the situation, he wants to tell her that he is a better man, and he would like to be the father of the child; But like everything else in his life, Emma (Smulders) looks at him like he's crazy, The scene where Emma finds David inside their house, he tries to convince her that he has changed, the outcome here is positive, but the feeling is very warm.
David asks for Emma hand in marriage at the hospital after she has the baby, a wonderful situation, not only is he asking her, then he tells her of the 142 extended family, and that he is the anonymous guy. Without really thinking, David tries three very different things, one was warm, special, the other was annoying but shocking, and the last thing David tried, and it all worked, he finally convinced her, but the last thing he tried, was to basically ask her to let his 142 extended grown children see the little one. Funny scene, laughed hard, the guy really did managed to mess things up and in the end it worked out like he had planed, or at least tried to plan.
David because he needs a lot of money goes to a sperm bank, does his job and that was 20 years ago according to how the movie went. He became 20,000 richer, but even then problems became overwhelming, and the charming talker is in debt again, but this time around a bunch of guys beat the tar out of him, to get their money, or loan back. Here we have a feel good film that delivers, and takes in some of the punches, get into that point a bit later. David's attorney tells him that he has fathered 533 children through anonymous donations to a fertility clinic 20 years ago, and how 142 of those grown up children have filed a lawsuit to have David Wosniak (vaughn) reveal himself. The guy needed money at the time, and now he gets screwed by 142 grown ups who want him to reveal himself, and then the unthinkable happens, the 142 folks who filed the lawsuit, David without revealing himself visits them. All of the people have problems, each and everyone he watched from a far, somehow developed a connection in a weird way. The film feel good part of the film starts to grab you, it starts slowly but when it hits, and you know it will, it hits hard and fast, like i mentioned before a feel good movie.
The acting was done well for this type of movie, especially Cobie Smulders (Emma), she really plays her character to perfection. Out of her other movie characters, all of them are unique and different. So used to her playing a kick ass shield agent, almost wanted her to get into her mode and kick butt. I know she's not an agent in this film. Another thing i would like to mention before i move on is that in feel good movies, like this one has other main characters that have similar problems, but find out there problems aren't as big as they thought it would be. Either way the acting was very good, some comedies have a tendency to fall a part as the film progresses, but Delivery man did a fine job.
Brett (Pratt) gets his Bar almost a bit to late to represent his friend, but it all works out and is able to represent David. After all is said and done, the court favors David's anonymity, so he wins big, and all his problems are solved.
Brett messes up as he was interviewed after court, kinda gives up David's name by accident, convinces the press that he is gay, and his lover is David. The scene is well done, loved the awkwardness Brett conveys as he tries to get out of his big mistake. Cool scene, it delivers and the feel good part continues, because the characters and how they're portrayed into the story. Also David later decides to do the right thing and reveal himself, which if this isn't a feel good part i don't know what is.
Making a feel good film is pretty hard, because of the content, characters, and especially the way it pans out. Act one is the introduction, all characters, plot, the what's going on factor. The second act is the progression of the story with knowing the direction it will take, but in a feel good movie the direction continues with the characters are the highlight, everything else takes a back seat. The final and third act is the closure, ending, must have all ties closed before the ending. In a feel good movie the ending is the characters taking a stand, and sometimes no closure. I know my rant about feel good movies are right, next time please watch Adam Sandler's That's My Boy, Bedtime Stories, Click, Longest Yard, prime examples of feel good movies.
I love it when a film has a message, some are clear, others not so much, but when it does, the actors get into character, watch the story develop, those unique points are what makes a film enjoyable. As a critic i try and review a film by not just the story, but how well the actors did their part.
The beginning of the review i put up a warning on content, i did it because David's character went to a clinic which he donated his sperm. The whole 533 deal might be a bit uncomfortable for some folks, so i put up the warning, just in case. My site is any demographic, not just older readers, I'm good for a bad word here and there, but to actually review correctly you really don't need to do that kinda stuff. The film can be taken a part without even going in that direction. So parents, no worries, everything is cool here.
Now that i got that out of my chest, i would say without i doubt this film is very good. My opinion is mine only so please excuse me, if you disagree. Vaughn and the whole cast does an amazing job, the story to the characters, and everything else in this film. I even liked the different shots, angles, the way the camera was positioned. Delivery man may not have been for you, but for me my laughter, and likability of the film is all i really needed.
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