Title: Couple’s Retreat
Year: 2009
Run Time: 113 minutes
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau, Faizon Love, Kristen Bell, Malin Akerman, Kristin Davis, Jean Reno
Director: Peter Billingsley
Plot:
This is the story of four couples, each facing different hurdles in their lives. Dave (Vince Vaughn) and Ronnie (Malin Akerman) are going through an indifferent spell in their marriage while they renovate their house and while Dave trys to market a video game. Jason (Jason Bateman) and Cynthia (Kristen Bell) are trying desperately to conceive and the stress has pushed their marriage to the brink of divorce. Joey (Jon Favreau) and Lucy (Kristen Davis), who were high school sweethearts, are now trapped in a loveless marriage held only together out of concern for their teenage daughter. And finally there’s Shane (Faizon Love), a recent divorcee, facing the single life once more and dating a 20 year old girl, Trudy. Jason suggests that they all take a trip to Eden Island, a majestic island resort, for some R & R and split the cost of a group package. When they get to the island, they learn that there is a catch to their all-inclusive half-priced package, mandatory couple’s therapy conducted by M. Marcel (Jean Reno). They undertake the therapy which actually drives the couples apart and they have to make tough choices on the future of their relationships.
“Holy S***! This looks like a screensaver.”
This is director Peter Billingsley (you know him as the kid from ‘Christmas Carol 1983’) first directorial debut and it’s a big miss. The story was written by Favreau and Vaughn and though it wasn’t well done still had the potential to be a good film. So where did it go wrong?
Well, I can’t quite put my finger on one thing but several did stick out. Maybe it was the fact that this movie felt like a bunch of celebrities on a $60 million vacation. Maybe it was the poor post-production. Maybe it was the fact that you felt like you were watching one really long commercial. Maybe it’s the way you feel like so much talent has been wasted.
Or maybe it was the simply fact that the storytelling sucked. Yes! That’s it. This movie has no direction whatsoever. One minute Vince Vaughn is allowed to rant like a maniac about Richard Simmons, the next they bring in characters who do nothing for the plot. You could almost see the rewrites being done to give Vaughn time veer off and b**** about something. In fact when watching this you have to wonder why Favreau (who directed Zaraha and Iron man) didn’t step in and take the directorial helm.
What works:
Well I have to admit some of the crude, sexual innuendo jokes did get me to giggle.
Jason Bateman has had a good year. His illogical character Jason is well played.
Kristin Davies. She’s goes all Samantha in this role.
The shots of the island are ok.
What doesn’t work:
The post-prod. You get this feeling that you’re watching a sitcom. And the transitions are just shoddy.
The movie is a huge marketing gimmick. The brand placement is just too blatant. It’s all Guitar Hero, Bloomingdale’s, Guitar Hero, Budlight, Guitar Hero…
The corny, cliché climax.
The naked shot Faizon Love. Sorry that was just to much.
Who will enjoy this movie:
I don’t know. Anyone with a functioning pair of eyes will see the flaws in this movie, no pun intended.
I’d say it’s a bit a of chic flick, but even ladies would be hard pressed to enjoy this movie.
Must see? No. Must Have? No.
My Score: 3 out of 10
“It would mean a lot to me if you’d just take your pants off, alright Dave?”- Jason
This movie was actually a pleasant surprise. I went to see it by myself having no expectations from it, and actually enjoyed most of the movie. Yes, I thought there were some corny parts in the film but overall who can not relate to trying to make a relationship work. It brought four couples together and through their trials and victories while at the retreat, they all began to really see themselves for who they were and what they really wanted, which lead to the restoration of their relationships. This movie was full of laughs, comedy, action and some obscenity. Overall, it was just a great movie to enjoy and maybe take something away that you could do differently and/or better in your own personal relationships.
i like your input.
having watched it, would you recommend it to a friend?
I also would like to say I enjoyed the film. It was a stereotypical comedy of this genre that didn’t do anything out of the ordinary but still had my girlfriend and I laughing. The whole retreat idea might be over the top as far as people relating to their own relationships but the resort was beautiful and bright and I think the movie met my expectations, I would recommend this to anyone who has enjoyed any comedy in the last couple of years. It’s a good movie to rent, you won’t wanna own it but by all means I’m pretty sure you won’t regret it either.
I do think SOME of the jokes were funny.
I liked the Salvadore yoga scene
and the back and forth between Vaughn and Bateman was good.
Nevertheless, I found the flaws to glaring to ignore.
The Jason & Cynthia relationship didn’t add up.
Faizon Love’s character was clearly a last minute write in.