When I first heard that Kevin James and Ray Romano were doing a movie together, I thought it was a great idea. Shortly after that, I learned that the movie was being re-tooled and would be headed straight to DVD. Obviously this curbed some of my enthusiasm.
However, after seeing the movie, I think it was good enough to be released in theaters. I have seen many theatrical releases that were worse than this.
Certainly there are problems, mostly with the plot (meat salesmen following leads?) and story lines left undeveloped (the relationship between Kevin James' character and his daughter). But the one redeeming quality that makes the movie worth watching is the characters. James and Romano both play their parts well. However, I will say that James is better suited for his loud mouth, slapstick-style humor that can be seen in King of Queens or the sweaty, nervous guy that he played in Hitch and his character in this movie could have used a little more of either. The supporting/cameo roles turned in by Burt Reynolds, Juliette Lewis, and Michael Rapaport along with a few other familiar faces are quite good.
All in all, this is an average movie. I'm a little surprised it went straight to DVD since I think it would have done alright in the theaters given its star power. I'm not saying it would have won any Oscars, but I'm sure people would have gone to see James, Romano, and Reynolds with the right kind of promotion. I'd recommend the DVD for fans of James and Romano, although it won't measure up to their respective sitcoms.
