Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz star in the new romantic comedy out this week. Just the latest in a bevy of Vegas-backdrop flicks to be out this year.
Meet Jack (Kutcher) and Joy (Diaz). They each are facing crossroads in their lives. So on the advice of their friends, they take off to Vegas to blow off come steam. Jack and Joy meet, go on a bender, get married, and in the process win 3 million dollars in a Vegas slot machine. They regret the marriage, and file for divorce. But the judge (Dennis Miller) freezes the cash, and sentences them to 6 months "hard marriage," before granting a divorce. Let the hate and games begin.
Hang with me here. Take a good look, this is probably the last movie that Diaz will be playing a 28 year-old in a comedy. At 35, she seems to be a little beyond this kind of role to really be believable. I found myself rolling my eyes at the first part of this flick. When is she going to make grown up movies? Haven't I seen Cameron Diaz do all this exact same stuff before...like many times before???? The answer is yes, of course we have.
But something interesting happens to WHIV. It ceases with the endless chaotic, angry, frantic, too cool for the room, quite frankly not funny pace, and grows a heart and a soul. WHIV could have just played out the string, and not turned the corner, but it does. It gets more intelligent as the frames flip, and I was stunned. The "comedy" that is marginal the movies' start, is replaced by the "romantic" in the middle and end, and lands on it's feet. With small roles filled by Queen Latifah, Dennis Farina and Lake Bell to go along with Miller, WHIV cleans itself up and makes itself presentable. Let's not go overboard, this is not a classic but it's not a bad night a the movies.
Speaking of Lake Bell, she again hits a home run. Terrific in her supporting role of Tipper, Joy's friend. Bell again is not afraid to make herself look silly on screen. Toss in her beauty, and again great to watch. I loved her in the absolutely terrible Eva Longoria flick, Over Her Dead Body in January but Bell was great there too. I'm hoping to see much more of her in the near future. Lake Bell is star in waiting. Beautiful and funny? Great combo!
When you go, you have to stick with What Happens In Vegas. You may think you've seen done before, and done better. But at the day's end, you will not be sorry your ticket stub is in your pocket. Great date flick too.
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1 comment:
most of the chick flicks i've seen with Ashton Kutcher have been at least halfway decent, A Lot Like Love is one example
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