> Couples Retreat
Director: Peter Billingsley
Cast: Vince Vaughn, Malin Akerman, Jon Favreau, Kristin Davis, Jason Bateman, Kristen Bell, Faizon Love, Kali Hawk, Jean Reno
Rating: M
2 stars (out of 5)
Reviewed by Christine Powley.
Back in the last century, Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau made a comedy called Swingers. It was a bit rough around the edges but super-funny and it kick-started their careers.
When I saw that they had reunited in a comedy called Couples Retreat (Rialto and Hoyts) I thought "Great, an update about those guys from Swingers".
My unnaturally high expectations have put the mockers on. I would not feel so aggrieved except that Vaughn and Favreau are credited with writing the lacklustre script.
Vaughn plays Dave, who is happily married to Ronnie (Malin Akerman), but his friend Jason (Jason Bateman) is having troubles in his marriage to Cynthia (Kristen Bell). To show support, all the couples in their social circle go to a couples resort.
Joey (Favreau) and Lucy (Kristin Davis) are a couple about to explode. Shane (Faizon Love) rounds the group off but he is divorced, still hurting and dragging along a 20-year-old girlfriend, Trudy (Kali Hawk).
Once they meet couples whisperer Marcel (Jean Reno), the wheels really fall off their various pairings and hilarity ensues. Except not really. Playing "name the film they ripped various ideas off" does pass the time but I left feeling that the cast had all signed on for a fabulous free holiday.
Best thing: Filmed on Bora Bora, Tahiti, it makes you want to book your flights and hit those rum cocktails.
Worse thing: Can't decide if it is a comedy or meant to teach us something about relationships so misses on both counts.
See it with: Either your therapist or your travel agent.
