From the looks of the previews, I was expecting this particular comedy featuring Steve Carell and Paul Rudd to bomb at the box office. But with the opening credits, I instantly changed my mind. What I experienced at Dinner for Schmucks was part romance, part sadness and a whole lot of hilarious.

Surprisingly, the plot did not mainly center on the actual dinner, but rather the events leading up to the grand finale. Tim Wagner (Rudd) is coerced by his boss to attend a dinner for idiots, or he will forever be stuck in anonymity on the sixth floor at work. Against his girlf riend’s wishes, Wagner agrees to the dinner and invites Barry (Carell), a taxidermist who acts like he was raised in a cardboard box. But once Barry enters Wagner’s life, he refuses to leave.

Barry, with his disarming and gentle smile, wreaks havoc on Wagner’s life and charms the audience all at once with his well-meaning but disastrous actions. He’s sensitive, he’s upbeat and most of all he is really, really dumb. While some of the other actors were comedic gold – Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover) and Jermaine Clement (Despicable Me), in particular – Carell carried the whole film, never letting the energy fall, even during the melancholy scenes.

The best thing about Barry is his obsession with dead rodents. Normally, taxidermy creeps me out, but Barry’s dream, manifested by dead mice in full costume, is precious, weird and funny all at once.

This film is definitely worth the ticket price. Don’t wait for Netflix, don’t wait for the $1.50 Cinema and don’t wait for Red Box. Dinner for Scmucks is one of those movies that you’ll want to see on the big screen.