Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz duke it out over a 3 million dollar divorce settlement
All's fair in love and war, especially when there is a three million
dollar divorce settlement at stake.
What Happens In Vegas is a romantic comedy about two mismatched
strangers who tie the knot in the gambling capital - under the influence
of several bottles of alcohol - then head for the courts, where
underlying tensions spiral out of control.
The battle of the sexes becomes increasingly vitriolic ("Till death us
do part"; "Not unless I kill you first") fanned by two so-called best
friends who have serious anger management issues.
Animosity between the reluctant newlyweds invariably kindles a spark of
sexual attraction and this sweet yet slight confection totters awkwardly
towards its syrupy, feelgood conclusion.
British director Tom Vaughan, who helmed Starter For Ten with James
McAvoy, is blessed with sexy and adorable lead actors, who radiate
energy and charm despite Dana Fox's poor script and its forgettable
dialogue.
The opposites of goofy Ashton Kutcher and sophisticated Cameron Diaz do
indeed attract, and there's guilty pleasure in watching these two actors
spar, physically and verbally, including a centrepiece chase through the
crowded streets of Manhattan.
advertisement
They win us over even if, ultimately, the film does not.
In Las Vegas, dreams come true but for Joy (Diaz) and Jack (Kutcher),
the Nevada desert is the beginning of a nightmare.
She arrives on the strip with best friend Tipper (Bell), shortly after
being publicly dumped by her fiance Mason (Sudeikis).
WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS (12A, 98 mins)
Released: May 9
He arrives at the same time in Sin City with best buddy Hater (Corddry),
determined to forget being sacked from the family business.
A shared night of drink and debauchery leads to the chapel and Joy and
Jack wake the next morning with more than just a hangover.
Just as they have finalised divorce plans, Jack wins the three million
dollar jackpot on a slot machine using Joy's quarter. Needless to say,
she wants half the winnings.
In court, Judge Whopper (Miller) hands down his verdict - "I am freezing
the three million and sentencing you both to six months hard marriage" -
and he refers the feuding couple to psychiatrist Dr Twitchell (Latifah)
for counselling.
What Happens In Vegas follows a predictable dramatic arc, with Joy
impressing her husband's parents (Williams, O'Connell) and Jack going
down a storm with his wife's grouchy boss (Farina).
Kutcher and Diaz perform the pratfalls with gusto and look good
together, compensating for a flood of greeting card sentimentality.
The remainder of the cast, including Corddry and Bell, are all
two-dimensional slaves to the plot, nudging the lovers closer together
or further apart.
The minute Joy reminisces about a lighthouse as her favourite place in
the world, we know precisely where this manipulative slush will end up.
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
Print
Email this
Comment
