BY MIKEY MIGO
I’ve been excited about Todd Phillips’ “Due Date” since I first heard of it. After the monster hit he had with “The Hangover” and the fact I’ve pretty much enjoyed all of his work so far, it was easy to get behind it. How could you not? Zach Galifianakis, from “Hangover”, and the pretty much always awesome Robert Downey Jr. in an odd couple road trip movie? I’m in. I love road trip movies. “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles”, the Lampoon “Vacation” movies, and “Tommy Boy” are just a few of the timeless classics who follow this format. “Planes” and “Tommy Boy” especially come to mind when watching the trailer for this movie. An uptight guy and a goofy heavy guy go on a trip. Cool. I’m there. But NOW it’s ruined because Robert Downey Jr. is a jerk. Well, “reportedly”. There are “rumors” out there that say that Robert Downey Jr. is now “feuding” with Zach Galifianakis over a situation that does not involve him AT ALL.
The story goes that Zach Galifianakis led a “Hangover 2” cast revolt against the idea of Mel Gibson appearing in the movie. Gibson was supposed to play a wacky tattoo artist, but Zack Galifianakis did his part in getting it nixed. Why not? I think Mel screwed up and does deserve a second chance, but to put him in this movie would be like a forth or a fifth chance. People are quick to point out Mike Tyson and his past and the fact that he was in the first movie. And you’re point is? Mike Tyson’s stuff in “Hangover” is ironic “WTF” comedy. We are laughing at the obscurity of him just magically showing up. It’s hilarious because it’s unexpected. Do the Mel fans not understand that Mike Tyson wasn’t there to “make good with the general public”? He nailed his scene, but it was there because it was funny. With Mel Gibson, it automatically takes away from the story. It becomes a “hey! Look! Mel isn’t that bad… He’s in THIS movie” type of thing. That’s cheap and very weak sauce. What Mel has been accused of and has done is horrible, but he’s still a talented actor. I’m all for him making a comeback, but not at the piggy-backing expense of “The Hangover”. In my gut, I tend to think these are the reasons Zach Galifianakis did what he had to do.
What does this have to do with Robert Downey Jr.? Nothing. They’re friends from back in the day. When Downey Jr. was having his rough stretch Met gave him a second chance, but that’s no reason to “feud” with Zach Galifianakis for sticking to his guns. Never the less, since this went down Robert Downey Jr. has been a dick to and towards Zach Galifianakis. I can see both sides. Galifianakis works with a organization against domestic violence with his girlfriend. Recently Todd Phillips commented saying it wasn’t just one person, basically trying to vaguely clear up that it wasn’t JUST Galifianakis to get Mel removed. This doesn’t change the fact that Downey Jr. isn’t shutting up about it. My problem isn’t that Downey Jr. is being loyal to a friend, it’s that he’s pretty much ruining the promo for “Due Date”. I’ll see it for sure, but with this recent nonsense, I’m much less excited. So with that, Robert Downey Jr. looks to be sabotaging his own movie and is looking more and more like a dick. Shut up, smile, and pimp the movie.
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