Vince Vaughn: Top Five / Bottom Five

Our roundup of Vince Vaughn's "money" and not-so-money movies from sci-fi mind trips to old-school bromedies...
Vince Vaughn attends the 'Fred Claus' Rome premiere, November 21, 2007.
(FILE PHOTO) Vince Vaughn attends the 'Fred Claus' Rome premiere, November 21, 2007. - WireImage
Christine Champ

Film fans like Vince Vaughn because, well, he's likable. Especially when he slips into the fast-talking, misguided yet well-meaning, man-boy mentor persona many moviegoers know and love. Despite venturing into darker comedies and more dramatic roles, so far Vince seems most comfortable and successful in his natural bromedy (man-centered comedy) niche. Of course, not all of his lately formulaic laugh factories have charmed the pants off critics and cinema crowds (his recent release, Couples Retreat looks pretty iffy).

That being said, we thought it high time we rounded up some of Vince's most "money" and not-so-money movies, keeping in mind in most cases it's VV's film choices, rather than his performances, that are flawed.

Top 5

1. Anchorman
Channel 9 newsman and Ron Burgundy-hater Wes Mantooth doesn't need to be this Ferrell feature's lead anchorman to sling insults and steal scenes (and rally in a trident-battling news team rumble).

2. Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
Vaughn's wry yet sympathetic wit serves a higher moral purpose here, as Vaughn plays comic chaperone of this feel-good sports fable about a gym owner/dodge ball champion contender who learns not to give up (from Lance Armstrong).

3. Wedding Crashers
As Owen Wilson's womanizing, wedding-crashing wing man and reciter of the wedding crasher code -- "Rule 76: No excuses. Play like a champion" -- VV is at his bromedy best.

4. Old School
Backing up another Wilson bro (Luke), Vince nimbly balances 30-something frat-boy-wannabe and father with underage son and infant in tow -- "Max, can you ear muff it for me?" -- and holds his own with a buffoon brat pack that includes Ferrell and Jeremy Piven.

5. Swingers
Swaggering, self-aggrandizing, credo-spouting, girl-prowling guru Trent -- "you're money baby" -- is spellbinding, and arguably the big daddy of all bro-heroine sidekicks in this highly quotable Favreau staple.

Bottom 5

1. The Break-Up
This romance train wreck barrels forth at mostly one bitter, breakneck speed and so, most of the time, does Vince's character. In stiller moments audiences glimpse soulful, schtick-free depths it would be nice to see more of from both the movie and Vaughn.

Fred Claus2. Fred Claus
It's no Elf. Vince is as jolly as he can be in this factory-made, family-friendly holiday product.

3. Domestic Disturbance
Vaughn disturbs to the degree a good psychopath should, but sadly the contrived, poorly choreographed thriller he's trapped in doesn't thrill as you'd hope.

4. Clay Pigeons
Playing a sinisterly chummy stranger in a dark bed-and-bash drama, VV deftly delivers his character, which is unfortunately as creepy, empty, and un-engaging as Dobkin's film.

5. The Cell
The movie's MTV imagery is stunning, the unsurprising storyline and the acting -- Vince as FBI savior, J-Lo the super-psychologist in distress -- not so much.




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