8 Milestones in the Evolution of Vince Vaughn

Return to Paradise (1998)

My God, this movie is depressing. For those who have forgotten, Vince Vaughn used to make films with plots that involved the threats of execution from a Malaysian drug bust. In Paradise, Vaughn must make the decision to return to Malaysia to face jail time in order to save the life of his friend (Joaquin Phoenix), who was arrested and faces execution. Not exactly Dodgeball. For five years, Vaughn would go on to make drama after drama including the now infamous scene-by-scene remake of Psycho.

Domestic Disturbance (2001)

The movie that ended Vince Vaughn's career -- at least the dramatic one. Vaughn stars opposite John Travolta (this, perhaps, should have been a red flag) as an evil stepfather (another red flag!) in the long-forgotten thriller. This was also the infamous film that had Vaughn involved in a bar fight with a local North Carolina man. If that local North Carolina man was yelling, "Why won't you do comedy? You'd be so much better at comedy!" as he traded blows with Vaughn, we all owe this man our gratitude.

Wedding Crashers (2005)

I got dumped right before I saw Wedding Crashers for the first time. I saw it three more times at the theater, not because it was just that good, but because Vince Vaughn was just so much fun to be around. The guy always looked like he was having the time of his life in this film. Expanding on the comedic work that he had already done in Old School and Dodgeball, he put everything together for this box office smash. The story of two pick-up artists who, of course, crash weddings grossed $285 million worldwide. Vaughn would re-team with director David Dobkin a few years later for the not-anywhere-near-as-good-successful Fred Claus.

The Break-Up (2006)

The problem with being one of the "It" comedy stars is that you are offered a lot of money to do a lot of crap, and Vaughn is no exception -- Couples Retreat, Four Christmases, and Fred Claus would all qualify. On the other hand, The Break-Up is a good example how Vaughn's dramatic side can enhance his comedic roles, bringing them more depth. Sure, The Break-Up has funny moments, but that's not what drives the film. For anyone who has ever had to co-habitate with an ex, The Break-Up doesn't shy away from the realities of the situation. This is almost a drama with some funny moments, and a lesser actor wouldn't have been able to convincingly pull that off. Though, not really the same type of film, the tone of The Break-Up is a similar one to what you will find with Vaughn in his new release, The Dilemma.

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