If the gods of film were just, What Happens In Vegas would play as an in-flight movie to Vegas. While not offensively bad, this paint-by-numbers romantic comedy is as dull and lifeless as the eyes of a Sin City hooker up for retirement. The occasional laughs, which mostly arrive via eternal sidekick Rob Corddry, are welcome breaks from the monotony of Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diazs zany odd couple antics.
The premise (I hesitate to use the word "story) is as contrived as they come. Slacker party-boy Jack Fuller (Ashton Kutcher) and up-tight power executive Joy McNally (Cameron Diaz) each suffer setbacks that can only be cured by a trip to Vegas. After accidentally being checked-in to the same hotel suite, the two spend a drunken evening on the Vegas strip, resulting in an inebriated and regretful marriage. Before the union can be dissolved the two win a slot-machine jackpot and, rather than amicably split the massive payout, they battle it out in divorce court.
Of course, the judge (Dennis Miller) forces them to live as husband and wife for six months before he will grant them a divorce. Theoretically this is the point where hilarity ensues and opposites attract, and screenwriter Dana Fox (The Wedding Date) follows every Scriptwriting 101 rule in a desperate attempt to find the humour in this crazy situation. But Dana Fox is no Neil Simon (The Odd Couple) and Kutcher and Diaz are no Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau.
Kutcher has less chemistry with Diaz than he does with Corddry, which would be great if "what happened in Vegas was homosexual experimentation between two best friends but then again, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry proved that wasnt a comedy goldmine either.
With all the summer blockbusters arriving in theatres in the coming weeks there is no need for anyone to subject themselves to What Happens in Vegas. Instead, we should do as the Vegas tourist bureau advises and just pretend it never happened.
(Fox)The premise (I hesitate to use the word "story) is as contrived as they come. Slacker party-boy Jack Fuller (Ashton Kutcher) and up-tight power executive Joy McNally (Cameron Diaz) each suffer setbacks that can only be cured by a trip to Vegas. After accidentally being checked-in to the same hotel suite, the two spend a drunken evening on the Vegas strip, resulting in an inebriated and regretful marriage. Before the union can be dissolved the two win a slot-machine jackpot and, rather than amicably split the massive payout, they battle it out in divorce court.
Of course, the judge (Dennis Miller) forces them to live as husband and wife for six months before he will grant them a divorce. Theoretically this is the point where hilarity ensues and opposites attract, and screenwriter Dana Fox (The Wedding Date) follows every Scriptwriting 101 rule in a desperate attempt to find the humour in this crazy situation. But Dana Fox is no Neil Simon (The Odd Couple) and Kutcher and Diaz are no Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau.
Kutcher has less chemistry with Diaz than he does with Corddry, which would be great if "what happened in Vegas was homosexual experimentation between two best friends but then again, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry proved that wasnt a comedy goldmine either.
With all the summer blockbusters arriving in theatres in the coming weeks there is no need for anyone to subject themselves to What Happens in Vegas. Instead, we should do as the Vegas tourist bureau advises and just pretend it never happened.