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"Two's company. Dupree's a crowd." A decent tagline, isn't it? Sure thing. And when you know up front that Owen Wilson is Dupree, the MOVIE must be decent...no, BETTER than decent...HILARIOUS. Owen Wilson is a truly gifted comedic actor, and I've come to expect greatness from any film he's a part of, even if it's a teeny tiny bit part. This film, directed by Anthony and John Russo, was my first disappointing Wilson experience. Now, don't fret...it wasn't his fault, of course. Sometimes an actor can provide us with a wonderful performance in spite of it, but very few can overcome a script that it trite, silly, and senseless.

We begin with Molly Thompson (Kate Hudson) and Carl Peterson (Matt Dillon), a young couple anxiously awaiting their approaching wedding day and anticipating the deliciousness of being alone together for the first time. If you're as familiar with both actors as most, you'll see the instant disparity there...Hudson and Dillon are from two different generations, and Dillion has finally begun to show his age (much to my horror). He was a poor choice, though he's still physically in good shape...perhaps Ben Stiller was working on a different project?!? Carl works for Molly's dad, artfully played by Michael Douglas. What can I say...the guy plays a damn good complete jerk, and though we don't see him nearly enough, he's the only cast member who pulls off a successful performance. Most likely because he doesn't have many lines, now that I think about it. Sheese. Carl is a nobody at Mr. Thompson's company, and his future father-in-law has very little respect for him even before the nuptials.

Enter Randy Dupree, childhood friend of Carl, and the best man. He arrives late and in need of a place to stay as he's just lost yet another job because he left for a week to attend the wedding ceremony. After sleeping on a cot in a local watering hole for a few days he's asked to leave...and Carl brings him home without so much as a call to Molly. She grudgingly accepts his intrusion, which is to be very temporary, and the couple goes about their business. I don't know about you, but there is NO WAY IN HECK that I'd allow a friend, be it one of mine or my husband's, stay in my home. Especially if, like the Thompsons, I had enough extra cash to put them up in a hotel. And imagine if your spouse brought home someone who was essentially a stranger to you and expected you to welcome them with open arms. I think not.

Of course, Dupree gets off on the wrong foot from the get-go...he's found in the morning naked as a jay bird on the living room couch when the couple leaves for work. He promises to go out and look for work, but when the couple returns home at night he's playing baseball with the neighborhood kids. In the interim, Carl's father-in-law has taken a look at one of his real estate development proposals and given it the green light...with changes, of course. When they take a ride out to the vacant land, Mr. Thompson tries to get Carl to change HIS name instead of Molly taking his. One would think that Carl might mention this to Molly...but he doesn't. Instead, he suffers in silence and broods.

Dupree wreaks havoc on their home, hosting parties, convincing Carl to do dumb, childish things...all while Molly looks on. Carl is continually bullied at work by Mr. Thompson, even to the point of being given a brochure on vascetomies because Thompson doesn't want him knocking Molly up...he simply isn't good enough, apparently. Again, Carl says nothing of this to Molly...he just stays later at the office, becomes nasty at home, and drives his new wife towards the fun-loving, caring, giving Dupree.

There isn't a whole lot about this film that makes a bit of sense...at the start, Carl and Molly appear deeply in love, open, and honest with each other. How this changes in a matter of days is a giant hole in character development. Would anyone not speak to their spouse about not only their difficulties at work but with their spouse's PARENT? The man tells him to get a vasectomy, for goodness sake! Another hole, this time in the plot...if Molly's father is so concerned about her and loves her so much, why does he never call her or come visit? The only time he sees her during the film is at her wedding and at a dinner party after he's pushed Carl completely over the edge. Dupree's character is so over the top he isn't even remotely funny...and he seems to be too much of an idiot for us to feel any sympathy for him, which left me rolling my eyes repeatedly. The script is all over the place and there is absolutely no reality here...which is fine for a SciFi flick, but not a romantic comedy.

I'm giving You, Me and Dupree 1 monkey out of 12...and you can thank Michael Douglas for that one. How about You, Me and Return My Money? That would be better.