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Lately I’ve been thinking: If only there were an international-business comedy that also incorporated anti-bullying messages and gloryholes. Ken Scott has delivered, but alas, it’s an unfunny venture to which nobody seems committed. In the wafer-thin plot, three stereotypes — solid dude (Vince Vaughn), maudlin old guy (Tom Wilkinson) and possibly brain-damaged naif (Dave Franco) — need to seal a business deal. In Berlin — home of topless women, hotels-as-installation-art and the aforementioned gay watering hole. It’s a lifeless, laughless affair that will slowly drain away any residual affection you may have held for these actors.
This article appears in Mar 11-17, 2015.
