The Dilemma is a 2011 American dark comedy film directed by Ron Howard, written by Allan Loeb and starring Vince Vaughn and Kevin James. The film follows savvy businessman Ronny (Vaughn) and genius engineer Nick (James), who are best friends and partners in an auto design firm. They are pursuing a project to make their firm famous. Ronny sees Nick's wife Geneva (Winona Ryder) kissing another man (Channing Tatum). Ronny seeks out answers and has to figure out how to tell Nick about what he saw while working with him to complete their critical presentation.
It was filmed entirely in the Chicago metropolitan area. The Dilemma was released by Universal Pictures in the United States and Canada on January 14, 2011, to poor reviews and performed poorly at the box office, failing to recoup its $70 million production budget.
Plot
Ronny and Nick are best friends and partners in a small auto design firm in Chicago. Ronny is in a long-term relationship with his girlfriend Beth while Nick is married to Geneva. The two have recently been given an opportunity to pitch an eco friendly car to Dodge.
While at a botanical gardens planning a way to propose marriage to Beth, Ronny sees Geneva kissing a man named Zip. He comes home upset, but lies to Beth about the reason, causing her to worry that the stress of work has caused a recurrence of Ronny's gambling addiction.
Ronny makes up his mind to inform Nick about Geneva's infidelity, but puts it off after Nick expresses stress about their work. He meets with Geneva during a Blackhawks game, who promises that the affair is over and that she will tell Nick as soon as the big project is finished. Ronny subsequently discovers her and Zip continuing their relationship. Geneva then threatens to accuse Ronny of hitting on her and tell Nick about a fling they had had back in college.
When Ronny follows Geneva to Zip's house, he photographs the two of them together, but he is trapped on the patio by a group of skateboarders and is unable to escape. Once Geneva leaves, Ronny is caught by Zip and the two engage in a physical confrontation. In spite of this, Ronny eventually makes it to Beth's parents' 40th wedding anniversary party.
Ronny's increasingly erratic behavior leads his friends to think that he has begun gambling again. They hold an intervention for him but Ronny explains the truth behind his actions and Geneva admits to the affair and Ronny admits to the fling with Geneva. While Nick is upset about both, he eventually forgives Ronny and separates from Geneva for her affair with Zip. Later, Nick and Ronny have their design accepted by Dodge; and Ronny proposes to Beth.
Cast
In addition to his brother Clint, the director’s father, actor Rance Howard, appears in the film.
Production
The Dilemma is directed by Ron Howard and written by Allan Loeb. The film was Howard's first comedy film since he directed How the Grinch Stole Christmas in 2000. The film was first announced in January 2010 as an untitled project when actor Vince Vaughn signed on for a starring role. The premise was conceived by producer Brian Grazer, Howard's production partner at Imagine Entertainment; Loeb wrote the script. Actor Kevin James was cast alongside Vaughn in February. The film continues "Vaughn's interest in tackling the dark areas of relationships", following The Break-Up (2006) and Couples Retreat (2009). The darker moments of the latter film were omitted from the final edit.
With a budget of $70 million, filming took place entirely in Chicago, Illinois, from late May 2010 to mid-August 2010. The film, which was called Cheaters and What You Don't Know during production, was ultimately titled The Dilemma by Universal.
Language in advertising
When Universal released the trailer for The Dilemma, the studio drew complaints about the pejorative use of "gay" in Vaughn's line in the trailer's opening scene, "Electric cars are gay. I mean, not homosexual gay, but my-parents-are-chaperoning-the-dance gay." Universal said it contacted the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) about the line before the trailer was released, and GLAAD said the step indicated the studio knew the line was problematic. Universal received complaints when the trailer appeared online before in theaters, and the studio sought to work with GLAAD to prepare a new trailer.