To be an accomplished slacker, one must remain true to the Slacker Code. Owen Wilson’s character in You, Me and Dupree knows how important this is. With his laid-back charm and goofy comic appeal, Wilson makes us warm up to Randolph Dupree, even though this childlike man sometimes engages in obnoxious behavior that threatens to break up his best friend’s new marriage.

When Carl (Matt Dillon) and Molly (Kate Hudson) wed at a lovely ceremony held in Hawaii, the free-spirited Dupree is proud to serve as Best Man. But he soon finds out he’s lost his job for taking time off to go to the wedding. Dupree has no place to stay, so Carl convinces Molly they should take him in for a few days until he finds another job. Although very grateful for their hospitality, Dupree lacks sensitivity for the newlywed’s needs and takes advantage of them -- in fact, he turns their lives upside down with his juvenile antics. Additionally, searching for employment turns out to be a real challenge for Dupree, who admits he’s “no workhorse.”   

Carl and Molly have their own serious problems to contend with. Molly’s father (Michael Douglas), who’s also Carl’s boss, won’t stop pressuring his son-in-law, which causes Carl to spend more and more time trying to impress him by working extra hours.

The rest of this surprisingly amusing movie deals with the way Carl, Molly and Dupree manage to salvage their relationship and the changes each individual goes through. I say “surprisingly amusing” because the preview for the film turned me off completely with its emphasis on bathroom humor. Fortunately, You, Me and Dupree -- although containing some crude moments -- ends up being a sweet movie that focuses on the importance of friendship, love, life goals, and being true to oneself. It also helps us look at slackers in an entirely new light: they just might be saving themselves until the time their actions will really make a difference. In the movie’s funniest and most provocative scene, Dupree explains his unusual philosophy to Molly’s grade school students while substituting for Carl (who couldn’t get away from work) on Career Day. Wilson was so convincing in this scene that I decided to goof off for a full day before writing this review!

Portraying Dupree must’ve been great fun for Wilson. He appears to be having a ball with this quirky character. His unbridled enthusiasm comes through whether Dupree is interacting with youngsters, cooking a gourmet meal, practicing to outrace Lance Armstrong, or merely hanging out with his friends. Is it his best performance? No, but it ranks close to his entertaining work with Jackie Chan in Shanghai Noon and Shanghai Knights.

Happily, despite delivering fine performances, Hudson (The Skeleton Key, Raising Helen) and Dillon (Crash, Herbie: Fully Loaded) don’t try to upstage their co-star. These two versatile actors excel at drama as well as comedy, and they show their talent in both areas here. Dillon shines in a scene of jealous rage, and Hudson is delightful in sequences where her character begins to appreciate what Dupree has to offer.

However, make no mistake about it. This is Owen Wilson’s movie. Be prepared to sit back and enjoy his Owen-ness.    

(Released by Universal Pictures and rated “PG-13” for sexual content, brief nudity, crude humor, language and a drug reference.)