Directed by: Jon Favreau
Written by:Jon Favreau
Starring: Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn, Sean Combs, Famke Janssen, Peter Falk
Released: February 28, 2002
Grade: A-

Bobby (Favreau) is a decent guy who wants to exchange his complex life for one more simple.  He is seeing Jessica (Janssen) who has an 8-year-old daughter, Chloe, from a previous marriage.  Both Jessica and Bobby work for Max (Falk), a powerful crime syndicator.  Jessica is a stripper and Bobby is an unsuccessful boxer with both paid barely enough to support themselves and young Chloe.

When Bobby loses patience with Jessica’s line of work, he sees Max and gets the opportunity he has been hoping for.  Max asks him to travel to New York City for a money-laundering pick-up and he will be rewarded handsomely for his efforts.  Bobby asks if best friend Ricky (Vaughn) can accompany him since Ricky once bailed Bobby out of a tight spot and Ricky is also hard-up financially.  Max does not like Ricky but allows him to go since Bobby vouches on his behalf that he can do the job.

The fun then begins and Made becomes an hilarious black comedy.  Ricky is an annoying dimwit - the kind of person who always says the wrong thing in the wrong situation but keeps getting away with it.  Vaughn has the persona down to perfection and if it’s possible to both cringe and laugh at the same time, then I was doing it.

Vaughn and writer-director Favreau have worked together before in 1996’s cult hit Swingers.  Favreau wrote this film for both himself and Vaughn to reunite on screen and the two play off each other hilariously with their ideally different personalities - they’re the new “odd couple”.  Keep your eyes peeled for the cameo of the year from ex-Saved By The Bell star Dustin Diamond (ala Screech) - inspiring comedy.

It’s a simple 90 minute comedy with some great individual scenes.  Shot for just $5m, I’m glad the film had the opportunity to be released in Australia so it can be seen by those with an appreciation for a darker sense of humour.