The Dilemma 2011

Jake Coyle, Associated Press: Unfortunately, Ronny and Nick's bromance takes over, and James has neither the comedy chops or wildness to keep up with Vaughn. Read more

Amy Nicholson, I.E. Weekly: Ends with 20 minutes of apologies, a round robin of regret that downshifts the film's sputtering energy into park. Read more

Adam Graham, Detroit News: Let's have a toast for Vince Vaughn, shall we? Read more

Glenn Kenny, MSN Movies: ...this is quite a bit more engaging and emotionally challenging than one had much reason to expect. Read more

A.O. Scott, New York Times: The movie is not all that deep, but it does go further than many of its kind in acknowledging the hurt and difficulty that are the deep wellsprings of any comedy worthy of the name. Read more

David Edelstein, New York Magazine/Vulture: Perhaps the late Blake Edwards could have found a balance between slapstick and psychodrama, but Ron Howard can't get the pacing right, and Allan Loeb's script is even wordier than the one he wrote for Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. Read more

Scott Tobias, AV Club: It's rare for a director as reliably down-the-middle as Ron Howard to let his movies go too far out on a limb, but The Dilemma is a wild ride, thrilling when it isn't a calamity. Read more

Randy Cordova, Arizona Republic: "The Dilemma" is never dull, but it's also a mess. Read more

Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: A comedy that seems terrified to acknowledge its darker, more sinister self, it's like an overmedicated patient or an addict in dread of relapse. Read more

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader: The ugly emotional mess is so respectfully handled that the story resonates far beyond its comic designs. Read more

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: The jokes, when and where they can be found, are puerile, and continually give Vaughn the movie-star catbird seat. Read more

Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle: Can we ever truly know someone? Can we even answer the question? Probably not, but The Dilemma gets credit for trying. Read more

Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor: The script by Allan Loeb careens all over the place without ever coming to rest on anything interesting. Read more

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: The filmmakers just don't know what to do about the ladies. Read more

Laremy Legel, Film.com: A very poor effort from a talented group of people, this is a terrible movie wrapped in a glossy package. Read more

Donald Munro, Miami Herald: As cumbersome and drawn out as a slowly deflating tire, this cinematic collision between Vaughn's celebrated funny-surly persona and Howard's earnest pedigree is a bore -- and a serious miscalculation. Read more

Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter: A dark spirit pervades this Vince Vaughn/Kevin James buddy movie that stifles laughter. Read more

Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: What "The Dilemma" ultimately does best is create a platform for Vaughn to drag that iconic character of his into full-blown adulthood. Read more

David Denby, New Yorker: Who ever thought that Ron Howard could make a cult film? This movie is a mess, but it's an intelligent and affecting mess. Read more

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger: There's no "Dilemma" here at all - just a simple disappointment. Read more

Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: The real dilemma in the sadly unfunny "The Dilemma" is that several different movies are going on in director Ron Howard's first nondrama in 11 years. Read more

Kyle Smith, New York Post: There is much to say about the love that, except in comedies, dare not speak its name - the kind between straight men. "The Dilemma" says enough of it to be interesting. Read more

Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: What distinguishes The Dilemma ... is its resounding unfunnyness, its emotional dishonesty, and the general unlikability of its cast of characters. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: Among Howard's infrequent misfires, this is one of the most disappointing. Read more

Richard Roeper, Richard Roeper.com: Good performances in an interesting attempt that ultimately fails. Wrong fit for director Ron Howard. Read more

Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: The January movie burial ground claims another victim. RIP. Read more

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Read more

Rick Groen, Globe and Mail: Bromances being what they are, Vince's sharp pang of disappointment might have been worth pursuing but, Ron Howard being who he is, not a chance. Read more

Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine: The Dilemma never stops being a movie, and never starts being a good one. Read more

Ben Walters, Time Out: It lacks faith in its story, characters and audience. Read more

Scott Bowles, USA Today: Dilemma rests on the same structural foundation as episodes of Three's Company, when Mr. Roper thought he heard shenanigans through the kitchen door. A simple conversation would clear things up. Read more

Justin Chang, Variety: The true dilemma of this misguided seriocomedy lies in the filmmakers' confusion as to whether they're making a side-splitting bromance (nope) or an unsparing, warts-and-all look at screwed-up relationships (sort of). Read more

Stephanie Merry, Washington Post: While Vaughn proves he's still got the fast-talking bravado that makes him so bewilderingly watchable, neither his quick wit nor his chemistry with Kevin James can transform "The Dilemma" into the gold standard of buddy comedies. Read more