Delivery Man

Adding another feckless manchild to his dubious performance portfolio, Delivery Man finds Vince Vaughn in uncharacteristically likeable form. He plays David Wozniak, a big-hearted dupe landed two paternity bombshells in quick succession: girlfriend Emma (a wasted Cobie Smulders) is expecting a baby, and, more improbably, he already has 533 children as a result of sperm donations made 20 years prior. He responds to the latter news by hiring browbeaten best friend and underachieving lawyer Brett (Chris Pratt) to fight for his legal right to anonymity, whilst secretly stalking his surprise brood and staging various interventions. Important lessons about responsibility follow in predictable, exceedingly sentimental fashion.

Neither convincing enough to work as drama nor humorous enough to satisfy as comedy, Delivery Man fails to capitalise on its high-concept setup. Supporting characters are acutely one-dimensional and plot holes abound; a gushy conclusion, meanwhile, attempts an emotional payoff that the slack build-up simply doesn’t merit. [Chris Buckle]