Made

Rating:

A Buddy Mobster Comedy

Main Cast: Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn, Famke Janssen, Peter Falk

Director: Jon Favreau

Plot Summary: Two boyhood friends get involved in shady situations as they try to make money, fame, and try to be “made”.

Made is a gangster comedy — okay, a coupla would-be gangsters. Two friends, one always thinking and the movie’s thematic center, the other wild and imaginative to the point of silliness at times. Both, however, would like to be “made” in the underworld.

The story begins with a truly pathetic boxing match. As it turns out, Bobby (Favreau) and Ricky (Vaughn) are friends and usually aim for a draw, thus splitting the prize money. It would seem that Bobby has the better life: a job, girlfriend with a small daughter, apartment, but for some reason he always sticks up for Ricky when he gets into trouble. Ricky has a big mouth and too many half-baked ideas.

Bobby makes a deal with his boss Max (Falk). This guy has connections and sends them both to New York City. Their instructions? Keep pagers on at all times and be ready to move at a moment’s notice. You know Ricky is somehow going to mess things up and do something wrong. It’s a given. The fun is to wait and see what happens.

The plot is really about these two goofballs and how Ricky gets them into dicey situations with his mouth and attitude. He also, mostly, does a fair job of getting them out, but usually with some type of sideways spin. He is annoying but somehow I could stand his manner, a tricky tightrope job that Mr. Vaughn manages throughout the film.

Made is a buddy-buddy film with gangster themes. I thought it was an amusing little film, filled with unique characters and comedic situations. A good few hours to pass the time.