You, Me and Dupree
Encyclopedia
You, Me and Dupree is a 2006 romantic comedy film
directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo, written by Mike LeSieur, and produced
by Mary Parent, Scott Stuber, and Owen Wilson
.
The film revolves around newlyweds
Carl and Molly Peterson (Matt Dillon
and Kate Hudson
). After Carl's best man and friend Randolph Dupree (Owen Wilson
), loses his job and apartment, the couple allow him to move in but Dupree inevitably overstays his welcome.
) and Carl (Matt Dillon
) are preparing for their wedding day in Hawaii
, until Carl's friend Neil (Seth Rogen
) interrupts to say that Dupree (Owen Wilson
) got lost. They drive off together to pick up Dupree, who appeared to have hitched a ride with a light plane after landing on the wrong island. A day before the wedding, Molly's father (Michael Douglas
), who is also CEO of the company that Carl works for, makes a toast with humorous remarks at Carl's expense, foreshadowing a conflict between the two. Later at a pre-celebration at a bar, Carl neglects Dupree to be with Molly while he is about to perform a drinking tradition. Carl and Dupree later make up on the beach, as Dupree apologizes for laughing at Molly's father's jokes, and tells Carl that he has "Carlness." Carl and Molly get married. When Carl returns to work, at Molly's father's Thompson Land Development, he is surprised to find that Mr. Thompson has promoted him to be in charge of a design he proposed, though it had been altered somewhat. Mr. Thompson makes absurd requests which proceed to get worse, starting with Thompson's drastic reimagining of Carl's new architecture project, requesting that Carl take the Thompson name instead and that Carl get a vasectomy to prevent childbearing later on.
Before returning home to celebrate his promotion with Molly, Carl stops by the bar, where he finds Neil and Dupree. After Neil leaves due to his wife's curfew, Dupree reveals that he was fired, as he apparently did not have clearance to attend the wedding, subsequently falling behind in his rent and evicted. Losing his car also, as it was the company's. Carl takes Dupree home, asking Molly if he can stay for a little while until he gets back on his feet. Molly is polite, though clearly frustrated as he is disruptive and messy.
Molly sets up Dupree with a woman at her work, a primary school, who is a Mormon librarian. Dupree agrees, though Molly is shocked to find them together when she opens her front door coming home from dinner. Romantic candles burn down the front of the living room and Dupree is evicted.
Meanwhile Carl is being continually stressed out from work, though he and Molly find time to go out for dinner. On the way back they find Dupree sitting on a bench in heavy rain with his belongings. Molly insists they take him back in. Carl makes it known that Dupree must behave this time. The next day, Dupree makes amends, refurbishing the living room, and doing Carl's thank-you letters, as well as making friends with kids from the block. Carl asks Dupree to go to career day at Molly's work as he got tied up at his work and that night Dupree cooks a large dinner for Molly, though Carl is late again, so Molly and Dupree start without him. When Carl finally shows up, he is a little jealous that they were having dinner together, and have a fight.
Carl kicks Dupree out, suspecting an affair, which shocks Dupree. The following night, Mr. Thompson is over for dinner. Dupree climbs the drain pipe and sneaks inside to get his bags back, and during dinner the guests inside hear Dupree fall off the roof. Dupree is found outside and is invited in for dinner. After Mr. Thompson takes a liking to Dupree and asks him to go fishing with him, it enrages Carl, who jumps across the table and attempts to strangle Dupree; Thompson hits Carl over the head with a candlestick shortly after. After returning from the hospital with a neck brace, Dupree and Molly confront Mr. Thompson about what he really thinks of his new son-in-law, while Carl had left. The next morning Dupree gets all the local kids to search for Carl. Dupree eventually finds Carl in the bar, and convinces him to chase after Molly. Dupree helps Carl break in to Mr. Thompson's office, as Dupree distracts Paco, the security guard, whilst Carl marches into his father-in-law's office and confronts him. The two finally reach an understanding and Thompson admits to his agenda of insulting Carl. Dupree and Carl return to the house, where Carl and Molly reunite, Carl apologizing, and agree to work it all out.
Dupree becomes an author and a motivational speaker, with Paco now at his side as his number two.
After the End Credits, Lance Armstrong
is shown lying down on the grass reading Dupree's own book repeating the word "Lance-ness" to himself with different pronunciations.
scored the film, and at the very last minute—a mere week before the press screenings—his score was replaced by one written by Theodore Shapiro
. The scene that has Dupree arriving by plane on the wrong island was shot in the same valley as Jurassic Park
. In the special features of the film, there is a different version trailer of You, Me and Dupree where in the trailer Dupree and Molly are married and Carl moves in. The DVD
release of the film also contains a re-cut trailer horror
/thriller version of the film.
gives the film a rating of "rotten" based on 131 negative reviews out of a total 165. The consensus on Rotten Tomatoes is "a rather generic entry into the arrested development subgenre, with themes borrowed from other more successful and funnier films. Dupree wears out its welcome."
song "Cousin Dupree
" from their 2000 album, Two Against Nature
. Steely Dan
founders, Donald Fagen
and Walter Becker
wrote a somewhat tongue-in-cheek letter to actor Owen Wilson
's brother Luke Wilson
about the apparent absconding of their character's name. The duo invited the elder Wilson to make up for the "theft" of their character's name by coming on stage with them at one of their concerts to apologize to the band's fans. Owen Wilson gave a tongue-in-cheek response to the letter, stating in a press conference, "I have never heard the song 'Cousin Dupree' and I don't even know who this gentleman, Mr. Steely Dan, is. I hope this helps to clear things up and I can get back to concentrating on my new movie, 'HEY 19
.'"
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo, written by Mike LeSieur, and produced
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
by Mary Parent, Scott Stuber, and Owen Wilson
Owen Wilson
Owen Cunningham Wilson is an American actor and writer, known for his roles in the films The Haunting, The Royal Tenenbaums, Zoolander, Meet the Parents, Wedding Crashers, You, Me and Dupree, Bottle Rocket, the Cars series, The Darjeeling Limited, Marley & Me, Midnight in Paris, Shanghai Noon,...
.
The film revolves around newlyweds
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
Carl and Molly Peterson (Matt Dillon
Matt Dillon
Matthew Raymond "Matt" Dillon is an American actor and film director. He began acting in the late 1970s, gaining fame as a teenage idol during the 1980s.- Early life :...
and Kate Hudson
Kate Hudson
Kate Garry Hudson is an American actress. She came to prominence in 2001 after winning a Golden Globe and receiving several nominations, including a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, for her role in Almost Famous. She then starred in the hit film How to Lose a Guy in 10...
). After Carl's best man and friend Randolph Dupree (Owen Wilson
Owen Wilson
Owen Cunningham Wilson is an American actor and writer, known for his roles in the films The Haunting, The Royal Tenenbaums, Zoolander, Meet the Parents, Wedding Crashers, You, Me and Dupree, Bottle Rocket, the Cars series, The Darjeeling Limited, Marley & Me, Midnight in Paris, Shanghai Noon,...
), loses his job and apartment, the couple allow him to move in but Dupree inevitably overstays his welcome.
Plot
Molly (Kate HudsonKate Hudson
Kate Garry Hudson is an American actress. She came to prominence in 2001 after winning a Golden Globe and receiving several nominations, including a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, for her role in Almost Famous. She then starred in the hit film How to Lose a Guy in 10...
) and Carl (Matt Dillon
Matt Dillon
Matthew Raymond "Matt" Dillon is an American actor and film director. He began acting in the late 1970s, gaining fame as a teenage idol during the 1980s.- Early life :...
) are preparing for their wedding day in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, until Carl's friend Neil (Seth Rogen
Seth Rogen
Seth Rogen is a Canadian stand-up comedian, actor, producer, screenwriter, and voice artist. Rogen began his career doing stand-up comedy during his teen years, winning the Vancouver Amateur Comedy Contest in 1998. While still living in his native Vancouver, he landed a small part in Freaks and...
) interrupts to say that Dupree (Owen Wilson
Owen Wilson
Owen Cunningham Wilson is an American actor and writer, known for his roles in the films The Haunting, The Royal Tenenbaums, Zoolander, Meet the Parents, Wedding Crashers, You, Me and Dupree, Bottle Rocket, the Cars series, The Darjeeling Limited, Marley & Me, Midnight in Paris, Shanghai Noon,...
) got lost. They drive off together to pick up Dupree, who appeared to have hitched a ride with a light plane after landing on the wrong island. A day before the wedding, Molly's father (Michael Douglas
Michael Douglas
Michael Kirk Douglas is an American actor and producer, primarily in movies and television. He has won three Golden Globes and two Academy Awards; first as producer of 1975's Best Picture, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and as Best Actor in 1987 for his role in Wall Street. Douglas received the...
), who is also CEO of the company that Carl works for, makes a toast with humorous remarks at Carl's expense, foreshadowing a conflict between the two. Later at a pre-celebration at a bar, Carl neglects Dupree to be with Molly while he is about to perform a drinking tradition. Carl and Dupree later make up on the beach, as Dupree apologizes for laughing at Molly's father's jokes, and tells Carl that he has "Carlness." Carl and Molly get married. When Carl returns to work, at Molly's father's Thompson Land Development, he is surprised to find that Mr. Thompson has promoted him to be in charge of a design he proposed, though it had been altered somewhat. Mr. Thompson makes absurd requests which proceed to get worse, starting with Thompson's drastic reimagining of Carl's new architecture project, requesting that Carl take the Thompson name instead and that Carl get a vasectomy to prevent childbearing later on.
Before returning home to celebrate his promotion with Molly, Carl stops by the bar, where he finds Neil and Dupree. After Neil leaves due to his wife's curfew, Dupree reveals that he was fired, as he apparently did not have clearance to attend the wedding, subsequently falling behind in his rent and evicted. Losing his car also, as it was the company's. Carl takes Dupree home, asking Molly if he can stay for a little while until he gets back on his feet. Molly is polite, though clearly frustrated as he is disruptive and messy.
Molly sets up Dupree with a woman at her work, a primary school, who is a Mormon librarian. Dupree agrees, though Molly is shocked to find them together when she opens her front door coming home from dinner. Romantic candles burn down the front of the living room and Dupree is evicted.
Meanwhile Carl is being continually stressed out from work, though he and Molly find time to go out for dinner. On the way back they find Dupree sitting on a bench in heavy rain with his belongings. Molly insists they take him back in. Carl makes it known that Dupree must behave this time. The next day, Dupree makes amends, refurbishing the living room, and doing Carl's thank-you letters, as well as making friends with kids from the block. Carl asks Dupree to go to career day at Molly's work as he got tied up at his work and that night Dupree cooks a large dinner for Molly, though Carl is late again, so Molly and Dupree start without him. When Carl finally shows up, he is a little jealous that they were having dinner together, and have a fight.
Carl kicks Dupree out, suspecting an affair, which shocks Dupree. The following night, Mr. Thompson is over for dinner. Dupree climbs the drain pipe and sneaks inside to get his bags back, and during dinner the guests inside hear Dupree fall off the roof. Dupree is found outside and is invited in for dinner. After Mr. Thompson takes a liking to Dupree and asks him to go fishing with him, it enrages Carl, who jumps across the table and attempts to strangle Dupree; Thompson hits Carl over the head with a candlestick shortly after. After returning from the hospital with a neck brace, Dupree and Molly confront Mr. Thompson about what he really thinks of his new son-in-law, while Carl had left. The next morning Dupree gets all the local kids to search for Carl. Dupree eventually finds Carl in the bar, and convinces him to chase after Molly. Dupree helps Carl break in to Mr. Thompson's office, as Dupree distracts Paco, the security guard, whilst Carl marches into his father-in-law's office and confronts him. The two finally reach an understanding and Thompson admits to his agenda of insulting Carl. Dupree and Carl return to the house, where Carl and Molly reunite, Carl apologizing, and agree to work it all out.
Dupree becomes an author and a motivational speaker, with Paco now at his side as his number two.
After the End Credits, Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
is shown lying down on the grass reading Dupree's own book repeating the word "Lance-ness" to himself with different pronunciations.
Production
The film's production budget totalled $54 million. Composer Rolfe KentRolfe Kent
Rolfe R. Kent is a British film score composer.Kent was born in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. He attended St Albans School, then graduated in Psychology from the University of Leeds in 1986...
scored the film, and at the very last minute—a mere week before the press screenings—his score was replaced by one written by Theodore Shapiro
Theodore Shapiro (composer)
Theodore Shapiro is an American composer.Shapiro was born in Washington, D.C. He is best known for his film scores, particularly for the comedies State and Main, 13 Going on 30, Along Came Polly, The Devil Wears Prada, Fun with Dick and Jane, Idiocracy, You, Me and Dupree, Wet Hot American Summer,...
. The scene that has Dupree arriving by plane on the wrong island was shot in the same valley as Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park (film)
Jurassic Park is a 1993 American science fiction adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. It stars Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Martin Ferrero, and Bob Peck...
. In the special features of the film, there is a different version trailer of You, Me and Dupree where in the trailer Dupree and Molly are married and Carl moves in. The DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
release of the film also contains a re-cut trailer horror
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
/thriller version of the film.
Cast
- Kate HudsonKate HudsonKate Garry Hudson is an American actress. She came to prominence in 2001 after winning a Golden Globe and receiving several nominations, including a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, for her role in Almost Famous. She then starred in the hit film How to Lose a Guy in 10...
as Molly Thompson Peterson - Owen WilsonOwen WilsonOwen Cunningham Wilson is an American actor and writer, known for his roles in the films The Haunting, The Royal Tenenbaums, Zoolander, Meet the Parents, Wedding Crashers, You, Me and Dupree, Bottle Rocket, the Cars series, The Darjeeling Limited, Marley & Me, Midnight in Paris, Shanghai Noon,...
as Randolph "Randy" Dupree - Matt DillonMatt DillonMatthew Raymond "Matt" Dillon is an American actor and film director. He began acting in the late 1970s, gaining fame as a teenage idol during the 1980s.- Early life :...
as Carl Peterson - Michael DouglasMichael DouglasMichael Kirk Douglas is an American actor and producer, primarily in movies and television. He has won three Golden Globes and two Academy Awards; first as producer of 1975's Best Picture, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and as Best Actor in 1987 for his role in Wall Street. Douglas received the...
as Bob Thompson - Seth RogenSeth RogenSeth Rogen is a Canadian stand-up comedian, actor, producer, screenwriter, and voice artist. Rogen began his career doing stand-up comedy during his teen years, winning the Vancouver Amateur Comedy Contest in 1998. While still living in his native Vancouver, he landed a small part in Freaks and...
as Neil - Amanda DetmerAmanda DetmerAmanda Jeannette Detmer is an American actress who has appeared in various films and television shows.-Life and career:...
as Annie - Ralph TingRalph TingRalph Ting is a Chinese-American actor.As a young child he appeared in several commercials. Ralph had attended Mark Keppel High School in Alhambra, California until 2010. He made his first major appearance as Toshi in You, Me and Dupree and in 2007 he appeared in Totally Baked: A...
as Toshi - Todd StashwickTodd StashwickTodd Stashwick is an American film and TV actor. He played the role of Dale Malloy on The Riches until its cancellation. Stashwick actually preempted the official announcement that the show was canceled when he announced the cancellation on his MySpace blog on September 25, 2008...
as Tony - Bill HaderBill HaderWilliam "Bill" Hader is an American actor, comedian, producer and writer. He is best known for his work as a creative consultant on the hit show South Park and as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and for his supporting roles in comedy films such as Superbad, Hot Rod, Tropic Thunder,...
as Mark - Lance ArmstrongLance ArmstrongLance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
as himself - Billy GardellBilly GardellBilly Gardell is an American actor and comedian. Gardell has been visible within the comedy world industry since 1989. He currently portrays Mike Biggs on the CBS television series Mike and Molly.-Early life:...
as the bar keep - Harry Dean StantonHarry Dean StantonHarry Dean Stanton is an American actor, musician, and singer. Stanton's career has spanned over fifty years, which has seen him star in such films as Paris, Texas, Kelly's Heroes, Dillinger, Alien, Repo Man, The Last Temptation of Christ, Wild at Heart, The Green Mile and The Pledge...
as Curly (uncredited)
Reception
The film received mostly negative reviews from critics. Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
gives the film a rating of "rotten" based on 131 negative reviews out of a total 165. The consensus on Rotten Tomatoes is "a rather generic entry into the arrested development subgenre, with themes borrowed from other more successful and funnier films. Dupree wears out its welcome."
Box office
On release for 84 days in movie theaters domestically, the movie grossed $75,628,110, and in addition earned $54,803,258 in foreign markets, for a worldwide total of $130,431,368.Steely Dan response
The film's title caused a minor stir as the uncommon name, Dupree, is the same as the title character in the Steely DanSteely Dan
Steely Dan is an American rock band; its core members are Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. The band's popularity peaked in the late 1970s, with the release of seven albums blending elements of jazz, rock, funk, R&B, and pop...
song "Cousin Dupree
Cousin Dupree
"Cousin Dupree" is the first single from Steely Dan's 2000 album Two Against Nature. The song describes the desire a young man has for his attractive cousin...
" from their 2000 album, Two Against Nature
Two Against Nature
Two Against Nature is the eighth album by Steely Dan, released in 2000. The album won the group four Grammy Awards including Album of the Year, and marked the first Steely Dan studio album in 20 years, following 1980's Gaucho. It has been certified 2x platinum in the US.Two Against Nature marked...
. Steely Dan
Steely Dan
Steely Dan is an American rock band; its core members are Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. The band's popularity peaked in the late 1970s, with the release of seven albums blending elements of jazz, rock, funk, R&B, and pop...
founders, Donald Fagen
Donald Fagen
Donald Jay Fagen is an American musician and songwriter, best known as the co-founder, lead singer, and the principal songwriter of the rock band Steely Dan ....
and Walter Becker
Walter Becker
Walter Carl Becker is an American musician, songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the co-founder, guitarist, bassist and a co-writer of Steely Dan.-Career:...
wrote a somewhat tongue-in-cheek letter to actor Owen Wilson
Owen Wilson
Owen Cunningham Wilson is an American actor and writer, known for his roles in the films The Haunting, The Royal Tenenbaums, Zoolander, Meet the Parents, Wedding Crashers, You, Me and Dupree, Bottle Rocket, the Cars series, The Darjeeling Limited, Marley & Me, Midnight in Paris, Shanghai Noon,...
's brother Luke Wilson
Luke Wilson
Luke Cunningham Wilson is an American film actor known for his roles in Old School, Bottle Rocket, The Royal Tenenbaums, Legally Blonde, Idiocracy and Death at a Funeral.-Early life:...
about the apparent absconding of their character's name. The duo invited the elder Wilson to make up for the "theft" of their character's name by coming on stage with them at one of their concerts to apologize to the band's fans. Owen Wilson gave a tongue-in-cheek response to the letter, stating in a press conference, "I have never heard the song 'Cousin Dupree' and I don't even know who this gentleman, Mr. Steely Dan, is. I hope this helps to clear things up and I can get back to concentrating on my new movie, 'HEY 19
Hey Nineteen
"Hey Nineteen" is a song by American jazz rock band Steely Dan, written by members Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, and released on their 1980 album Gaucho.-Story:...
.'"