The Out-Laws

The buildup is more amusing than the payoff in The Out-Laws, a freewheeling combination of cringe comedy and heist thriller that rarely rises to the level of its cast.

This variation on a familiar concept — misadventures involving eccentric in-laws leading up to a wedding — features a rapid-fire assortment of broad one-liners and sight gags overloaded with quirks and obnoxious periphery characters.

Yet it’s less successful as a cat-and-mouse action saga because it’s more focused on being goofy than heightening the stakes with any meaningful surprises or clever twists.

The story opens with timid bank manager Owen (Adam Devine) showing his yoga instructor fiancé, Parker (Nina Dobrev), his action-figure diorama of the seating arrangement at their upcoming reception. “There’s nothing that He-Man and the Pink Power Ranger can’t handle together,” he exclaims.

The next day, Owen is introduced to Parker’s intimidating parents (Pierce Brosnan and Ellen Barkin), who have apparently been living as missionaries in South America. Not long afterward, his bank is held up by the notorious Ghost Bandits, who make off with millions.

Clues suggest that the timing of the arrival of Parker’s family with the bank robbery is no coincidence, especially after Russian mobsters become involved. But how can Owen alert the authorities without jeopardizing his relationship?

Owen’s parents have issues of their own. Besides mistaking Parker for a stripper, his dad (Richard Kind) overshares his gastrointestinal affliction and his mom (Julie Hagerty) once participated in an orgy with Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino.

The screenplay tries to position Owen as a lovable loser whose loyalties are torn by circumstances beyond his control. He’s hardly convincing as a bank manager, but that’s secondary in this case to his high-pitched wailing in the face of danger or his loose tongue after a few cocktails.

For those willing to suspend their disbelief, the film generates some scattered big laughs, primarily attributable to the appropriately awkward chemistry between its charismatic stars.

While director Tyler Spindel (Father of the Year) keeps the pace lively, it’s difficult amid the final-act cartoonish mayhem to muster much emotional investment in whether they ever make it to the altar.

As the central couple’s devotion is tested to the extreme, The Out-Laws will likewise test the patience of moviegoers.

Rated R, 95 minutes.