Couples Retreat, a Retreat or Purgatory
By Elliot Blumberg on Thursday, December 3rd, 2009
I consider myself knowledgeable on a limited number of subjects. Film is one of them. All you moviegoers better know who the hell Vince Vaughn is. Old School and Wedding Crashers are two of my favorite movies, and Vaughn made his move into print by writing The Breakup and now Couples Retreat. This isn’t my kind of movie, but for a romantic-comedy-type it’s not half bad.
Acting/Script
The acting was upper B to A grade with known actors like Vince Vaughn, (Anchorman, Dodgeball) Jason Bateman, (The Kingdom, Arrested Development) Jon Favreau (I Love You, Man, Iron Man) and Kristin Bell (Forgetting Sarah Marshall). The actors have a predictable script to work with, but that goes with the territory of the romantic comedy. However, there are a few scenes that are true-to-life and hilarious; couples’ therapy is something that most dating kids can laugh at or at least relate to. My rating: .6
Plot
The premise is something that everyone knows and understands going into the theater: some couples go on a retreat and awkward but funny action ensues. The commencement went into the rising action too abruptly. All of a sudden the characters arrived in Eden. The segway into their arrival was cut short, and I was left with a feeling of “oh okay. we’re here now.” However, the comedy once the couples arrived was well-done and varied. Conflict between the couples results in an impending doom, which leads the characters across the water to another, livelier couples island. My rating: .7
Characters/Relationships
This movie is based on relationships, point blank. My standard was that each couple had a realistic relationship, one that people could relate to, learn from, and laugh at. Each of the men had a different outlook on how to treat his woman, what cheating is and what you should get out of your marriage. The women were less polarized in their views, but nonetheless different. My favorite relationship was between Shane (Faizon Love) and his younger, hotter girlfriend. She calls him “daddy” throughout the film, and eventually shows the true colors of a young-twenties party girl. My rating: .8
Music
The music of the movie was appropriate, with inspired songs composed and produced by A R Rahman. Each song was specifically written for the scene in which it appears, showing true dedication to the scoring. I’d personally buy the soundtrack for its upbeat melodies, chill rhythms and international inspiration. My rating: .9
Ending
The end is predictable, as with any romantic comedy. Let’s just say it was happy, resolved and what anybody who falls in love with the characters is hoping for. My rating: .7
Photo courtesy of Relativity Media
Video courtesy of YouTube
December 5th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Fine, I’ll say it, that picture is hot. Chicks in bikinis, giggidy. Plus it does look like a funny movie.