G-S-T Review…Delivery Man

Delivery Man is a new movie starring Vince Vaughn as a middle aged slacker. For those of you familiar with Vince Vaughn’s work, you generally have a good idea of what to expect. Most of the time his movies are either hit or miss. He plays a very distinct slacker role in most of his films and this film is no different. The thing this movie has going for it, right out of the gate, is that it has a premise with depth and heart. Since this movie is coming out right before Thanksgiving, those are two good qualities to possess. But, are those two qualities enough to help this film do well at the box office? Read on to find out how this movie fairs.

Delivery Man is a movie about a middle aged slacker David, who drives a meat delivery truck. His father owns the meat shop and his brothers work there with him. One day David finds out that he is the father of 533 children. David was a sperm donor over 600 times, under the name Starbuck, to the same clinic earlier in life. There was a mix up at the clinic and his sperm was used 533 times. Now a large number of those children want to know who their father is and they have hired a lawyer to find out. Delivery Man is a comedy with heart and filled with good intentions. There are no heavy handed messages or political agendas woven into the plot of the film. It’s simply a good old fashioned feel good comedy.

Vince Vaughn (Dodgeball, Wedding Crashers) plays the lazy and unreliable slacker by the name of David. He drives a meat truck for the meat shop his father owns. He is admittedly the worst meat truck driver ever. Chris Pratt (Wanted, Moneyball) plays his friend and lawyer Brett. Brett helps David through a troubling time after David learns he is the biological father of 533 children. Vince and Chris play off of each other very well and make good on screen friends. Another well-known actor, Cobie Smulders (The How I Met Your Mother, The Avengers), plays Vince’s on-screen love interest Emma. Emma and David have this modern day conflicted relationship where he never does what he is supposed to, but she still finds him attractive in a strange way.

Vince’s movie family in this film, his father and brothers, play believable roles. Andrzej Blumenfeld (The Pianist, Little Rose) play’s Mikolaj, David’s father. Andrzej brings a believability and warmth to the film as a concerned parent. Other memorable actors in the film are those that play the part of the 533 children. Adam Chanler-Berat (The Life Before Her Eyes, It Could Be Worse) plays Viggo and really knocks it out of the park. He takes this role to the next level and really adds to the film. Dave Patten (Acceptance, Dominican) plays Adam, another child of Starbuck. He does an excellent job in a small roll in a film filled with extras and small parts. Jack Reynor (Dollhouse, Cold) plays Josh, yet another child of Starbuck. He plays one of the few standout parts, even though it is another small part.

Delivery Man is a remake of writer/director Ken Scott’s original screenplay entitled Starbuck, a 2011 French-Canadian film. Given that Ken had two chances to get it right, it gives this film a slight edge. Most people reading this review probably haven’t seen Starbuck and won’t have any way to compare it to Delivery Man. However, Delivery Man probably had a bigger budget and more well-known actors. So, it’s fair to assume that this movie is better than the original. Plus, most people seeing the movie will have no idea it’s a remake. So, they will take it for face value and the movie is probably better for it.

Looking at the movie holistically it is well made from top to bottom. The movie is well acted, it has a great script and cinematography was spot on for this type of film. Every movie takes a lot of people all doing their jobs as best they can. While this wasn’t a complex action film or a heavy handed special effects film, it still takes a level of professionalism to make a solid film. Kudos to the cast and crew of Delivery Man for delivering something most family members can enjoy over the holidays.

G-S-T Ruling:

If you’re looking for a feel good holiday movie to see with your family over Thanksgiving, then look no further. Delivery Man delivers a lot of laughs and a ton of heart. The movie has depth, is well acted and is actually quite funny. So, for those who see Vince Vaughn movies as hit or miss, this one is definitely a hit. Vince Vaughn delivers a powerful performance that is both touching and funny at the same time. In fact, this is one of Vince’s better performances of his last few films. So, if you are looking for a feel good comedy and you like Vince Vaughn, you can’t go wrong with Delivery Man.