Vince Vaughn's Top 5 Roles

He’s become the first choice when man-boy comedies need a lovably arrogant blow-hard with a heavy dose of charm and whether you love him or you hate him (we’ll side with the former, thank you very much), Vince Vaughn’s manic energy, rapid-fire delivery and undeniable on-screen presence makes him an original. As one of comedy’s leading men, he’s had us in hysterics as a scheming wedding crasher, a delusional smooth-talker who’s just so money, baby, and an aging frat boy, not to mention notable performances in subtler, more dramatic fare.

Poised to rule the box office again as he leads an enviable ensemble cast in Couples Retreat, (check out the trailer here) we thought it was high time we take a look back at our favourite Vince Vaughn roles.

5. Into the Wild (2007)

Proving that he doesn’t always have to be centre stage to make his mark, Vaughn took on a very supporting role in Sean Penn’s adaptation of Jon Krakauer’s book "Into the Wild". The film tells the story of middle-class honour student Christopher McCandless (a dedicated Emile Hirsch) who waved goodbye to the material world and hitchhiked his way to Alaska where he planned to live off the land, but not before running into a few influential people who would shape his journey. One these memorable characters is Wayne Westerberg, a farmer with an easy laugh, giving nature and larger-than-life personality and Vaughn lends his comedic sensibility and enthusiasm to this role with just the right tone, making the small part leap off the screen.

4. Clay Pigeons (1998)

Flexing his dramatic muscles in this Joaquin Phoenix vehicle, Vaughn plays the serial killer as a Southern gent, all wide smiles and nervous laughter in Clay Pigeons. Described by one critic as a combination of Elvis Presley, Hannibal Lecter, a rodeo cowboy and a guy who really, really wanted to be your friend in the seventh grade, Vaughn plays Lester Long as a needy, sweet and seriously unhinged fellow who befriends Clay (Phoenix) at a time he could really use a reliable pal. That is, until the women is Clay's life start to show up dead and guess who's responsible? Not to be missed, this neo-noir, slightly slap-sticky flick shows Vaughn's diversity.

3. Wedding Crashers (2005)

Alongside Owen Wilson, Vaughn played a scheming bachelor who attends weddings to prey on emotionally vulnerable women and incites belly laughs with just a wrinkled eyebrow or sideways look. This is male-minded raunch-comedy for sure and after scoring in films like Old School, Dodgeball: An Underdog Story not to mention small parts in Anchorman, Zoolander and Starsky and Hutch, this could have spelled over-saturation for the statuesque funnyman. Luckily, his rapport with on-screen BFF Wilson made their far-fetched tale an enjoyable, though admittedly shallow, ride and had audiences lining up to catch a glimpse of these two immature bachelors finally meet their matches. Or to watch Vaughn do the hora - either way- the masses LOLed.

2. Made (2001)

The slightly serious flipside to their hit comedy Swingers, Made reunites the killer comedy duo of Vaughn and Jon Favreau, with the latter working triple duty as writer, director and co-star on this one. Smartly switching character types this time around, with Vaughn taking on the role of bumbling sidekick Ricky to Favreau’s wannabe boxer Bobby, they stumble into a life of (dis)organized crime that almost costs them their lives. As Ricky, Vaughn’s maintains his penchant for loudmouth characters who don’t know when to stop talking and the more the clueless Ricky yammers on, the more tense - and hilarious - the film becomes. Also, it stars Peter Falk.

1. Swingers (1996)

This Doug Liman-directed, Favreau-written mid-90s classic shows its age within the first 15 minutes, amid references to swing dancing (thanks a lot, Gap ads), a plethora of two-toned shirts and a svelte, baby-faced Favreau but Vaughn’s scene-stealing, naturalistic performance as the bad-advice spewing best friend "Double Down" Trent is timeless. His instantly quotable catchphrases (mostly about "beautiful babies" being "money") were obnoxious and hilarious in equal measure, and even though he played a less than stand-up guy, the audience, much like sad-sack Mike (Favreau), were won over by his charisma and unflappable optimism. And just like that, a star was born.

--

So, what are YOUR fave Vince Vaughn roles? Share your thoughts below!!

Don't forget to follow Big Screen Buzz on Twitter!