Many recent successful comedies have come from the simple action of real-life friends coming together onscreen. From Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson, to Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly and, to some extent, the Apatow crew, these actors enjoy being around each other, and their fun on screen translates to fun for the viewers.
Unfortunately, this is not the case with Couples Retreat. No, this re-teaming of Vince Vaughn (Four Christmases) and Jon Favreau (I Love You, Man) is far from their chemistry in 1996’s Swingers. And even when the duo are on their A-game, the movie falters, as it is still a sloppily made picture.
Jason (Jason Bateman, The Invention of Lying) and Cynthia (Kristen Bell, Fanboys) are a couple of eight years whose marriage is firmly on the rocks. Overly organized and unable to conceive, they turn to what they see as their last chance: a week spent at Eden, a tropical paradise for troubled marriages.
The catch is, they can’t afford the trip on their own, but they find a half-price group rate for themselves and six of their friends, the unofficial leader being Dave (Vaughn) and his wife Ronnie (Malin Akerman, Watchmen). After some convincing, Dave and Ronnie decide they need the vacation, and everyone heads to Eden.
But, instead of the all-fun vacation the group had planned on, they are instead forced into a couples therapy program, where it is revealed that Jason and Cynthia’s marriage may not be the only one in jeopardy.
That premise, when given the aforementioned stars along with Favreau and Kristin Davis (Sex and the City), could have been an absolute knockout. The potential for comedic dialogue and performances during the group’s interactions are plentiful. But the movie simply fails to deliver.
The set up scenarios, such as an ill-fated scuba excursion and the majority of the therapy sessions, almost always fall flat. The jokes seem lame, and the chemistry between significant others simply isn’t there, save for Vaughn and Akerman.
The duo are the only couple in the movie who seem to have any real affection for each other, and they are also the only couple we can count on for consistent laughs and feeling. Vaughn is given some free reign here, and at times we remember how funny he can be when not in the middle of Fred Claus.
The movie also somehow makes Bateman almost intolerable by having him stray away from his usual Michael Bluth-esque self. Instead, he turns out to be an overly controlling and annoying husband. His true comedic chops are only showcased in one scene, when he convinces Dave to come on the trip, but overall it’s a huge waste of his vast talent.
Favreau and Davis’ characters simply despise each other in nearly every scene they share, and the played-out “gag” of both of them being alright with cheating overstays its short welcome quite quickly. Faizon Love (A Day in the Life) and his two love interests could simply be done without, as all he brings to the table are age and fat jokes.
The movie also has big problems with pacing, as many scenes end abruptly or are seemingly cut short. This may be because the movie was originally rated R but was re-cut to make the PG-13 mark. Nevertheless, it’s hard to believe the fractured editing and lack of cohesive transitions is a result of more time in the editing room.
But the biggest overall problem Couples Retreat faces is its lack of identity, as the movie tip-toes the line between straight-up comedy and heartfelt romantic comedy. There are quite a few laugh-out-loud moments, especially when the actors are completely on their comedic game. Bateman and Vaughn deliver some great one-liners, and there are some terrifically raunchy pieces, highlighted by a sexed-up yoga instructor.
And when they are on their game with each other, Vaughn and Favreau create the best dialogue in the film. The two can go at it like the real-life friends they are. When their mile-a-minute banter is at its best, well, it’s money baby, and they definitely know it.
Unfortunately, there are just as many moments where the romance is played up. There are moments of laughter, but when the romantic moments come, they simply seem too forced.Whether it’s Dave’s reflection on his marriage to Ronnie, or Cynthia’s displeasure with Jason, or the obvious final romantic realizations, the film fails to carry any true feeling and it hurts when it tries to get serious.
Some of the best laughs also come from Dave and Ronnie’s children as we’re reminded how little kids doing almost anything can be very funny in an “aww, look at them” kind of way. But any points the movie gets for those laughs are canceled out by an extended and overly obvious product placement for Guitar Hero that is more distracting than funny.
What Couples Retreat boils down to is a great idea gone wrong. Throwing some really funny people on a French Polynesian island and letting them go at it could have been quite an idea. But instead of churning out the great comedy that should have been, it seems these couples were only in it for a vacation.
klucas@umdbk.com
RATING: 2 stars out of 5
