“Delivery driver David Wozniak (Vince Vaughn) has a life no one would envy and it gets a whole lot worse when he discovers he’s the father to 533 children through sperm donations he made 20 years earlier… with 142 of them bringing a lawsuit demanding to know the identity of their biological father”

Delivery Man is a remake of the 2011 French Canadian comedy film “Starbuck”, which was one of my favourite films of 2012. I don’t know what it was, the film was just sweet. So when I heard they were remaking it, with Vince Vaughn, I wasn’t very happy. I thought the original film was good enough to stand on its own merit. I usually try not to “hate” on a film or a casting because I find it can cloud your judgement before going into a film. It also makes no sense, because why should you hate on something before you’ve even seen it.

So I went into Delivery Man, with open eyes, and I’m surprised to say that I found it just as good as the original film. This could be because it was directed by Ken Scott (much like the original) and stayed pretty true to the original. The film was the same as the original, with only locations, and language changed. It’s pretty much a shot for shot remake.

Vince Vaughn is one of those actors that pretty much plays the same person (ie himself) in most of his films (like Seth Rogen, and Adam Sandler). But there is something he does quite well. He is able to gain the sympathy of the audience, and he does it with aplomb here. He downplays his charisma for the most part, and that cocky attitude he has in some films, and he just plays the character as a down and out loser. It does a lot for the film that you can empathise with him. The film also stars Chris Pratt who plays the “what could have been” version of him. A man who has kids, and who seems to hate having them. Maybe not so much hates them, but a man who has been broken down by having kids, and he only has three of them, unlike 533 like Vaughn. Sure Pratt’s kids are younger, but still. Pratt also plays the lovable loser again, and role which he is known for, as well as good at. Cobie Smulders on the other hand, doesn’t get much to play around with as the other two, mainly being the “pushy” girlfriend with a heart of gold. Vaughn and Pratt have a good chemistry and riff off each other really well; it would have been nice to see Smulders involved in that.

The film itself is quite predictable, but that doesn’t make it any less heart-warming, with Vaughn playing a guardian angel if you will to his children, and making sure that they are alright. We meet quite a few of the “children” most of whom are young adults now, but only get time with a few of them. Most of them having decent performances with what little they are given.

The film is essentially about Vince Vaughn “growing up” over the course of the film, as well as learning parenting through his own kids. It also shows the importance of family.

The extra features don’t really consist of much, with a deleted scene and a blooper reel (which really seems a mixture of a behind the scenes with some bloopers thrown into it). Then again, I did have the DVD version, and not the Blue Ray which has a few extra features thrown on top of those two.

***1/2 Stars (out of 5)

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Ricky Diaz

Genre:
Drama, Comedy
Distributor:
Entertainment One
DVD/BD Release Date:
9th June 2014 (UK)
Rating: 15
Running Time:
102 Minutes
Director:
Ken Scott
Cast:
Vince Vaughn, Chris Pratt, Cobie Smulders
Buy:Delivery Man [DVD] or [Blu-ray]