The Dilemma   Starring: Vince Vaughn and Kevin James Universal Pictures UK RRP: £15.99 8282386 Certificate: 12 Available 30 May 2011

When Ronny (Vince Vaughn) sees his best friend and business partner’s wife kissing another man he is torn between confronting her and telling Nick (Kevin James). As his dilemma increases Ronny’s own behaviour starts to have negative effects on his own relationship with Beth (Jennifer Connelly)...

The Dilemma (2011- 1 hr, 46 min, 50 sec) is a comedy drama, written by Allan Loeb and directed by Ron Howard, who is no stranger to comedies having previous directed Splash (1984) and Cocoon (19856) early in his career. Where those two films showed a deep compassion towards the characters, Dilemma is a much darker and ambivalent piece.

What starts as a simple proposal ‘would you tell your best friend’ soon turns into Ronny’s own journey into the heart of darkness. He follows Nick’s wife, Geneva (Winona Ryder) after accidentally seeing her kiss a guy, soon he is hanging out in trees trying to get pictures of her, confronting and assaulting her lover, Zip (Channing Tatum) and generally lying to Beth and Nick. On top of all of this they are days away from the biggest meeting in their business life.

Normally you would expect to see both Vince Vaughn and Kevin James in some light, usually low brow comedy, so it was refreshing to see them both get a shot at stretching their dramatic muscles. Vaughn makes the transition from concerned friend to; frankly, creepy stalker feel believable as he loses sight of the fact that a simple act of communication could solve everything. Even his efforts on his friend’s behalf feel a bit suspect, when you discover that years before Ronny had slept with Geneva. His behaviour has more in common with a jealous husband than it does with a concerned friend.

The cast is top notch and the directing appropriate to the genre, one suspects that having directed Frost/Nixon (2008) and The Da Vinci Code (2006) that Ron Howard has lost some of the innocence displayed in his earlier comedies. Dilemma can be viewed as darkly comic or just a dark film with comedic moments, anyone approaching the film expecting a lot of belly laugh is going to be unpleasantly surprised, but then I like films which attempt to be a little more complex than the average.

There are a number of extras on the disc. Alternate Ending (5 min, 36 sec), which I can’t discuss without spoiling the film, suffice it to say that if this was the original end, it stank and I’m glad they sorted it out. Deleted Scenes, with an introduction by Ron Howard (15 min, 36 sec) which has seven minor deletions from the film, though nothing which amounts to a revelation or missed opportunity. Gag Reel (4 min, 43 sec), has the cast fluffing their lines. This is the Dilemma (13 min, 47 sec) is effectively the making of, with contributions from actors and crew. It’s the usual stuff, not bad, but watch once only.

The film's dark tone, whilst unexpected, was not unwelcome. Although its, often swift, shifts between slapstick and creepy might have some audiences confused as to what the film is supposed to be, Well don’t be, it is what it is. On that basis you might find a lot to like about The Dilemma.

7

Charles Packer