When John Beckwith and Jeremy Grey emerge from the Kennedy-esque Cleary mansion dressed in over-the-top preppy clothes nearly midway through Wedding Crashers, they’re expecting to join some version of backyard touch football meant for 1 percenters. Or maybe impress the people they’re deceiving.

After giving up a walk-in touchdown, John (Owen Wilson) asks Jeremy (Vince Vaughn) to throw an interception to Claire, his love interest played by Rachel McAdams, to make her feel good.

“John,” Vaughn replies. “I was first team all-state. I can put the ball wherever I want to. I’ll make it rain out here.”

Vaughn’s ad-libbed reply tips off a scene that captures the essence of Wedding Crashers, which debuted 15 years ago on July 15. Underneath the ensuing absurd hit-stick tackles and hysterical name-calling is the kind of layered storytelling that helped make Wedding Crashers the first R-rated comedy to earn over $200 million at the domestic box office.

In other words, the set piece isn’t just for cheap laughs. Instead, each action or exchange in the football game develops characters and advances the plot.

“Part of the magic of that scene is you’re still following a story line,” director David Dobkin says today.

[Read Danny Emerman's story of how the football scene in Wedding Crashers came together.]