MADE

US, 2001, 95 minutes, Colour.
Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn, Famke Janssen, Jonathan Silverman, Faizon Love, P. Diddy Coombs, Peter Falk.
Directed by Jon Favreau.

Made is an entertainment for those who enjoyed Jon Favreau’s Swingers, with Favreau as the quiet type and Vince Vaughn as the unbelievably rude type. This is the same in Made.

They are both amateur boxers and not particularly good at it. They are loyal friends and when Favreau attacks someone who mauls his girlfriend (Famke Janssen), a stripper in a club, he is asked by the ageing boss, Peter Falk in a four-letter performance, to make a delivery to gangsters in New York (P. Diddy Coombs). Vince Vaughn goes along for the ride under the auspices of the boss.

The main part of the film is the journey and the behaviour of the two on the flight, in New York City, with the bosses. Favreau plays the quiet polite type, trying to smooth everything over – whereas Vaughn plays the crass type who, from the beginning, apes the gangster style, pushes his weight around, sees himself as a celebrity. How the two remain friends is one of the mysteries of the film.

The film is humorous, Vaughn is very good at this gross-out kind of role. However, many audiences who are not familiar with this background and the New York scene may find it more than tiresome.

Favreau went on to direct a number of films with such a wide range as Elf, Zathura and the Iron Man films.

1.A comedy? American style? Gangsters?

2.The Los Angeles settings, the clubs, apartments? The home of the boss? The contrast with New York City, the hotels, the streets, the clubs, gangsters? The musical score?

3.The opening, the boxing, Bobby and Ricky? Not particularly successful? Their long friendship? What bound them together?

4.Bobby, his age, boxing, his relationship with Jessica, love for her daughter? Jessica and stripping, with the men, his feeling protective, attacking the person mauling Jessica?

5.Ricky, the boxing, unreliable, loudmouthed? Friendship? His family relationship?

6.Max, summoning the two, his speech to them, the Peter Falk comedy and way of speaking? His giving them the job? Trusting them, expectations?

7.Going on the job, the clothes, to the airport, their mission? Not sure of the details? Bobby, partly unwilling, needing the money for Jessica and her daughter? His putting up with Ricky? Smoothing things over? In New York, low-key?

8.Ricky, the suit, thinking he was a gangster, his harassing the flight attendant? The valets? The waiters? Room service? Loud, demands? His ignorance? His making good the situations? The comedy and Vaughn’s style?

9.The gangsters, the liaison, his size, demands? The boss, the interviews? The delivery of the money? The problems, the comedy?

10.Achieving their mission, going home? Bobby not wanting to do this any more? Finding Jessica, her leaving? His taking on the responsibility of Chloe?

11.Jessica, her character, dependent on Bobby, men, in the club? Max? Her daughter – and leaving her with Bobby? The daughter, common-sensed, relationship with her mother, with Bobby? Ricky and his love for Chloe?

12.The gangsters in New York, their style, audience expectations? Hit men? The background of the money deals and the drops?

13.Background characters, flight attendants, waiters, room service, wedding groups?

14.The ending, the happy ending – Bobby and Ricky and their helping Chloe?