Made 6/10

Made (R) 2001
Reviewer’s Tilt (9)
Action-94min
Special DVD Features worth a look-Alternate Scenes

Swingers Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn team up again to try to recreate some of the onscreen chemistry of their earlier collaboration. This time Favreau is producing writing directing and acting, while Vaughn acts and co-produces. With more than a nod to Scorsese’s “Mean Streets” Favreau plays blue collar mason Bobby, trying unsuccessfully to become a successful boxer. Bobby and his stripper girlfriend Jessica (Famke Janssen) also work bachelor parties for L.A. mobster Max (Peter Falk). Bobby is the classic “good guy,” trying to get out of the business and make a family with Jessica and her daughter Chloe (Makenzie Vega). When Max offers Bobby the opportunity to do “a job” in New York, Bobby sees his opportunity to make a better life for Jessica and Chloe.

Just like Scorcese’s Charlie, Bobby is laden with an oblivious, but rather obnoxious friend Ricky (Vaughn). Over his better judgment, Max reluctantly agrees to send Ricky along. Lacking even a modicum street smarts or savvy, Ricky’s mouth quickly lands the two in trouble with their NY contact, gangsta Ruiz (Sean “P Diddy” Combs). Vaughn drives a fantastic chemistry between the actors, generating several amusing reactions to his character and peppering the film with some grins. Deep down Ricky is truly a good guy, but his mudflap model T-shirt advertises his complete lack of empathy. He likes everybody; he just cannot understand why nobody but Bobby likes him.

Vaughn actually plays the character too well, annoying not only the other characters, but the audience as well. Adding further distraction is the film’s vacillation from a comedy, to a buddy picture, to a love story to a mob movie, failing to represent any genre particularly well. Impressively shot for a mere $5 Million, the great acting and camera work simply cannot overcome the underlying weakness of the story. I recommend this film only to the most die-hard Swingers fans, and only then if they are in desperate need of a new catch phrase or two. You know how I do.

Format: Color, Widescreen Anamorphic, Closed captioned.
Sound: (Dolby Digital 5.1), (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)
Extras: Favreau and Vaughn commentary, deleted footage, alternate scenes, music cuts, music video, production info, cast and crew bios, trivia and fact track, scene edit workshop, Featurettes: "Independent Filmmaking in America," "Gangster Lifestyle" and "Making the 'Made' Music," trailer, teaser trailer.