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 (L-R) Jon Favreau, Malin Akerman, Vince Vaughn, Faizon Love and Kristin Davis in "Couples Retreat"
Movie Reviews
Couples Retreat
Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau rekindled their producer-actor relationship to create an enjoyable comedy for the post-"Swingers" set. The sparkling cast serves up some memorable one-liners. But the predictable screenplay and sluggish comic timing of first-time helmer Peter Billingsley prevent the laughs in "Couples Retreat" from flowing as freely as the tropical drinks.
PG-13
(2009)
Publication Date Oct. 9, 2009
The hook is simple: To obtain a package deal, Jason and Cynthia (Jason Bateman and Kristen Bell), a Midwestern couple with marital problems, must convince their friends to travel with them to an island resort specializing in couples counseling. Long overdue for a honeymoon, Dave and Ronnie (Vince Vaughn and Malin Akerman) agree to go. Married high-school sweethearts Joey and Lucy (Jon Favreau and Kristin Davis) join divorced Shane (Faizon Love) and his 20-year-old girlfriend (Kali Hawk) with expectations of a sun-soaked vacation. In a belabored set-up, co-writers Vaughn, Favreau and Dana Fox ("The Wedding Date" and "What Happens in Vegas") establish the main characters as individuals in various stages of relationships. Too much screen time is devoted to Jason's controlling approach to life, and Billingsley continually holds comic moments, such as a child urinating in a showroom toilet, for a beat too long. The pace quickens when the group arrives at Eden Rock, the brainchild of "couples whisperer" Monsieur Marcel (Jean Reno). To everyone's surprise, couples therapy is a requirement -- and an unconventional one. The couples reluctantly undress in front of the group, swim with sharks and practice questionable yoga positions. Real-life relationship issues surface, while the comedy spoofs personality types and New Age therapies. Another twist adds tension and the opportunity for plot development: The friends discover that the resort has a singles-only wild side. They're sequestered in the "palace of solitude" Eden Rock West; the swinging-singles paradise is east of their Eden. Will the couples rediscover love? "Couples Retreat" is a comedy, so this central question will have a happy-ending answer. Tagging along for the journey is pleasant enough, but the Hallmark themes and sporadic comic surprises don't make for a rollicking, unforgettable experience. Rated PG-13 for sexual content and language. 1 hour, 47 minutes. - Susan Tavernetti
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