Double Down on 11

Made (2001)


Have you ever watched The Sopranos and thought to yourself “I could make it in organized crime”, well the main characters of Made certainly thought just that they could do just that. Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughan bring us the tale of a pair of old friends who want to be “Made Men”. One of them thinks that they’ve got what it takes, and the other just wants to take a job so he can pay the bills and to provide a better life for his stripper girlfriend and her daughter.

I love a good buddy picture and the duo of Favreau and Vaughan do not fail to deliver a good buddy picture. Vaughn plays the loud, over bearing low class buddy who has seen one to many mobster movies, and Favreau plays the nice guy who worries about his responsibilities. It’s a tried and over used comedy pairing, but it’s worked for years why change it up now? We haven’t seen this pair use this formula since their 1996 film Swingers,and we loved it then why wouldn’t we love it now? Throw in Peter Falk of Columbofame as the biggest mob boss in Los Angeles, Famke Jensen as the stripper girl friend, and Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs as the modern day New York mobster who’s close to the street and you’ve got a recipe for a mob comedy.

Favreau and Vaughn seemed to be at odds with each other during their screen time together. Vaughn strives hard to bring us a Rat Pack Era comedy, while Favreau’s portrayal of a down on his luck boxer attempts to rekindle the gritty crime dramas of the 1970’s. Vaughn’s on screen presence is an irritating party animal, who almost comes across as a loveable yet brain damaged buddy, while Favreau’s sobering presence reminds you that the mob is not to be trifled with, and that sometimes your best buddy is going to put your life in danger because you vouched for him.

The thing this movie has going for it, is its ability to immerse the audience in a realistically portrayed world of underworld business. The dialogue has an authentic feeling flow to it, and the story pacing leads the audience to a very believable world where the characters go about their lives trying to earn a living. None of the characters we’re presented with come across as unneeded or extemporaneous, and all of them add flavor and spirit to the production. Famke Jensen barely has screen time, but her character is vibrant memorable, and leaves an indelible mark upon the story. Peter Falk is the unsung gem of this movie, and you can’t help but give your attention to his character when he speaks.

If Vaughn and Favreau have taught us anything in their previous films together, it’s that you should always double down on 11, and you should have an ace in the hole. These are two phrases to live by that will make sure you end up eating pizza at a birthday party instead of swimming with the fishes.