Rating: PG-13 | Runtime: 111 minutes
Release Date: January 14th, 2011 (USA)
Studio: Universal Pictures
Director(s): Ron Howard
Writer(s): Allan Loeb

… took more virgins than Francis Albert Sinatra.

Sometimes all you need is a little Vince Vaughn. Despite him, I dreaded checking out The Dilemma due to the “directed by” Ron Howard label. I like the guy, don’t get me wrong, but his by-the-books Dan Brown adaptations were sorely lacking in cinematic ingenuity (I cringe at the fact he’s handling The Dark Tower Series) and thus a seemingly straightforward comedy wasn’t looking too palatable. But sometimes a director can excel by letting his actors take over and give the audience entertainment.

I truly haven’t seen Vaughn this good since Wedding Crashers—going on rants and getting all worked up with word vomit excellence all while keeping a grounded foot in real emotion. Because that is what works with Allan Loeb’s script (a guy I’m not too fond of either besides his died-too-young series “New Amsterdam” and Wall Street 2). Above the broader humor and hyperkinetic antics of its star that are countered by the ulcer-inducing stress we love from Kevin James, there’s an authenticity to the trial and tribulation of relationships.

And it’s not just the couplings I’m talking about. There’s also those leading men’s tag team BFFs since Ball State of the leads and, to a lesser extent, the long-standing friendship between Ronny (Vaughn) and Nick’s (James) cheating wife Geneva (Winona Ryder). The ‘dilemma’ of the title doesn’t therefore just end with how ‘man code’ is interpreted for sharing infidelity secrets. There’s a ton of stuff happening in this powder keg of action for the central foursome—rounded out by Ronny’s girlfriend Beth (Jennifer Connelly).

Ronny is recently recovered from gambling problems and, with Beth, has finally gotten back to a place of love, honesty, and fun. So, you can imagine the gimmick utilized to subvert his attempts at keeping the discovered affair a secret—everyone assumed he’s back at the casinos. But, not only is he dealing with the past, he and Nick are on commission to blow Chrysler away with an electric engine that revs like an old GT as well as the idea of proposing moving from a passing thought to full-on against the clock mode. Vince Vaughn characters can’t deal with stagnancy, so he’s definitely got quite the party of neuroses in his head.

Not to belittle the actual plot of the film since it does delve into serious issues like trust and the fine line between right and wrong, but it really is simply about a man who knows his best friend’s wife is cheating on him. It’s okay, though, since everything else is happening to add weight and flesh out the characters. What’s appealing about Vaughn and James is that they aren’t your usual leading men. They succeed on humor and become relatable to the Average Joe on the street visiting the multiplex for an entertaining two hours.

As far as them being with a pair of women like Connelly and Ryder, well, we can all dream. And, actually, you could begin to wonder why these schlubs are sabotaging their good fortune by flaking out on commitment and/or working too hard and avoiding home. Geneva’s affair may be the elephant in the room as far as transgressions go, but no one involved is completely innocent. All four have skeletons in their closets, exposed flaws, and, despite it all, love for one another. It’s reconciling everything that commences the repression and distrust.

Above all the serious stuff, however, is Vaughn’s manic maneuvering as the fast-talking salesman for his buddy James—the brains of the engine operation. They complement each other perfectly to create an unbeatable team of friends and business partners. I never really watched James’ “King of Queens”, so I’m not too familiar with him, but I will admit to being pleasantly surprised here. He has a talent for self-deprecating humor and enough acting chops to realistically portray the darker sides of the human condition.

The straight man to Vaughn’s insanity, James has his work cut out for him since Ronny is quite a character who’s only made worse by the secrets he’s holding. Priceless one-liners—most of which were probably improvised—abound like asking random strangers how to handle his dilemma through analogies with basketball and “Jerry Springer”. And, as impeccable as his delivery proves, the reaction shots to the answers to those hypotheticals work wonders too. Add in Howard’s splicing of live re-enactments for his blatant lies that constantly change as his story evolves and you won’t be able to stop yourself from chuckling.

Connelly and Ryder shouldn’t be dismissed, though. Their inclusion is crucial to the events taking place—as is their job as the rock in their relationships, whether they’re succeeding or failing at the task. Beth is many men’s ideal woman (a great sense of humor, endless compassion, a rising star in her field, and mad ping-pong skills) while Geneva is the neglected wife who obviously was the epitome of perfection before drifting apart from Nick.

Both are great—although I’ll admit to initially thinking Ryder’s performance was clunky prior to a fake tears moment that cements her skill around the mid-point. She also shows some nice chemistry with young beau Zip, a fantastic turn from Channing Tatum. The guy is comedic gold as the overly sensitive, tattooed, and fish-loving punk. Even Queen Latifah kills her bit part as the liaison between Chrysler and the boys with rhetoric that’s as uncomfortably hilarious to the characters onscreen as us. Ron Howard has a crowd-pleaser on his hands here.

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(L to R) Geneva (Winona Ryder), Nick (Kevin James), Beth (Jennifer Connelly) and Ronny (Vince Vaughn) in a comedy about a man who finds out that what you don’t say to a friend is just as important as what you do–THE DILEMMA. Photo Credit: Chuck Hodes Copyright: © 2011 Universal Studios. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.