Kashif Ahmed, 11/03/2010
A great cast and intriguing premise can't save 'Couples Retreat' from buckling into the doldrums of mediocrity, which is a shame, because it had all the right ingredients for a hit. Back in the late 90s / early 00s, comic actors Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau took the indie scene by storm with 'Swingers' (1997); still one of my favourite films and a genuine cult classic, followed up with 'Made' (2001); not as well received but an excellent and consistently funny movie. The pair then went their separate ways; Vaughn finding fame in front of the camera, Favreau faring better behind it. Now it's been over a decade since those "money" cats hit the L.A. club scene, so expectations surrounding their reunion were quite high, but somehow, this unquestionably talented duo have managed to churn out a forgettable, by-the-numbers rom-com that couldn't be any more generic if it tried: Couple on the brink of divorce (Jason Batemen and Kristen Bell--both good) rope their friends into going to a resort / new age marriage counselling trip: Hilarity ensues...or at least that's the idea.
There're a few good one-liners courtesy of Vince Vaughn, a laugh out scene in the sauna / snow room and even some sagely relationship advice towards the end. But there simply aren't enough laughs to warrant it's two hour plus running time; everyone appears to be having fun, though (shot on location in the Polynesian tropics; who wouldn't?) alas, little of that joy is transferred to the audience. As a die hard Vince Vaughn & Jon Favreau fan, I got the impression that this was meant to be their 'She's Having A Baby' (1988) or 'Mr Mom' (1982) but having recently re-viewed those John Hughes classics, it's obvious that they're as far off the mark with 'Couple's Retreat' as Kevin Smith was with 'Jersey Girl'. A well meaning but convoluted film that's nowhere near as insightful or funny as it ought to be. Back to the drawing board.
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