Steve Carell enjoys upbeat oddball he portrays in 'Schmucks'

Steve Carell, left, and Paul Rudd star in "Dinner for Schmucks."

Steve Carell, left, and Paul Rudd star in "Dinner for Schmucks."

Dinner for Schmucks

Tim, an up-and-coming executive, has just received his first invitation to the "dinner for idiots," a monthly event hosted by his boss that promises bragging ...

Rating: PG-13 for sequences of crude and sexual content, some partial nudity and language

Length: 114 minutes

Released: July 30, 2010 Nationwide

Cast: Paul Rudd, Steve Carrell, Stephanie Szostak, Jemaine Clement, Zach Galifianakis

Director: Jay Roach

Writer: Ken Daurio, David Guion, Michael Handelman, Cinco Paul, Francis Veber, Jon Vitti

More info and showtimes »

Move over, Michael Scott. Steve Carell's character in "Dinner for Schmucks" is even more oblivious than the socially inept manager that the actor plays on NBC's "The Office."

In the comedy, which opens today, Carell portrays Barry, an IRS employee and amateur taxidermist who's the hilarious heart of the film.

"It's just a guy trying to make it through and to keep a healthy, positive outlook on things," says Carell. "And it's nice to run into somebody like that, even if they make your life a living hell."

The 47-year-old star of movies and television didn't see the French film "The Dinner Game" that inspired "Dinner for Schmucks" on purpose.

"It was for the same reason that I didn't watch the British 'Office.' I just didn't want that to sort of cloud whatever characterization I was going to attempt," he explains.

Carell delivers an endearing performance as Barry, a well-intentioned man who wreaks havoc on the life of Tim (Paul Rudd), a financial analyst who's hoping to move up the corporate ladder.

Tim is asked to attend the next monthly dinner at his boss's house, only it's not just an ordinary gathering of colleagues. It's a contest to see who can bring the most ridiculous person to the dinner. And Tim, who meets Barry by accident, decides to invite him.

In "The Office" and movies like "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," Carell excels at playing offbeat characters who are lovable and have a sensitive side. He's able to see that there's a lot more to the roles than just the goofiness.

Barry may be irritating, but he's essentially a good guy, according to Carell.

"I think he is oblivious to a certain extent because of his own heartache and pain. And I think who he is is very much defined by what has happened to him. I think he's somebody that has always been a very trusting, good, positive person. And in being that way, he's certainly been injured emotionally many, many times," he says in a recent phone interview.

Talking about Barry, he recalls covering a convention of Klingon speakers when he was a correspondent for "The Daily Show."

"Of course, you have all these predetermined attitudes of what these people are going to be like. And they turned out to be just the sweetest group of people who like to get together and talk Klingon. There was nothing even weird about it. They were just having fun."

Barry's hobby isn't inspired by "Star Trek," but it's equally unusual - and oddly charming. He makes elaborate dioramas where dead mice are dressed as people.

"Boy, would I love to keep one of those dioramas," says Carell. "I think they're being used for promotion right now, but I hope at some point I get to have one of the mouse dioramas - the mouseterpieces - for myself."

"Dinner for Schmucks" is directed by Jay Roach, who helmed "Meet the Parents," and boasts costars like Jemaine Clement (HBO's "Flight of the Conchords"), Zach Galifianakis ("The Hangover") and David Walliams (HBO's "Little Britain").

Carell says it was fun to work with those actors and his friend Rudd, who previously starred with him in "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" and "The 40-Year-Old Virgin."

"He and I have kind of parallel lives right now," says Carell of Rudd. "We both have two little kids. And we've both been married for a number of years. And I think he has a very similar work ethic ... I think the things we find funny are very similar as well."

There's been a lot of buzz about what will happen over at "The Office" now that Carell plans to leave the show at the end of the next season.

Asked about the flurry of media attention, he says, "It's good that there's that much interest in the show and that after six seasons, people still care. I think that's a nice sign. Whatever the speculations are, I'm sure the show will continue on and be incredibly strong."

But he doesn't want to play the who'll-replace-Michael-Scott game.

"I don't know what the plan is. I don't think I even want to weigh in. I think I want them to decide where it goes from there. I think there are better people than I to decide the future of the show."

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