Customer Reviews

What Happens in Vegas

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

Okay, so sue me; I laughed a lot while watching this movie. My wife said that the film was horribly stupid but I didn't care. Sure, it was predictable beyond belief but why would you expect anything but a predictable romantic comedy? I mean, yes, at times the humor was a little off color or just plain ridiculous, but in a world embracing the comedic genius that is Judd Apatow (don't get me wrong, this is no where near as good as an Apatow production) why would you get mad over that?

`What Happens in Vegas' is exactly what you'd expect from a comedy starring Aston Kutcher.

The film tells the story of control freak Joy and slacker Jack. Joy was just dumped by her fiancé and Jack was just fired by his own father. When all goes wrong the only viable option is to go crazy in Vegas, so that is what they decide to do. It is in Vegas where they meet and get drunk and get hitched only to wake up desperate to end their relationship; that is until Jack wins $3,000,000 with Joy's quarter and each wants the cash. What happens next is highly unlikely (very highly) but for the sake of the film we'll follow along. A judge sentences them to a half year of marriage before either of them can be awarded the money. Jack and Joy are thus forced to live together and `work on their marriage' in order to attain the cast they so desperately desire.

The pot shots taken are over-the-top at times, but funny none-the-less. The situation is more preposterous than any of the jokes, and the actions taken by the two main characters, as immature as they are, are believable when you take into context the nature of the characters they are playing.

I mean seriously, a lot of people are that stupid.

Cameron Diaz is above this, I will say that. She is a wonderfully talented comedic actress who deserves better than the material she is provided here. Her performances in films like `Vanilla Sky' and `Being John Malkovich' and even `My Best Friends Wedding' all prove her talent and should have garnered an Oscar nomination by now. Instead she is reduced to starring alongside Aston Kutcher in a film tailor made for his persona as apposed to her talent. This is not above Kutcher, in fact it is a step up for him (look at what he's done up until now). Honestly, if you are looking at this film because you are a fan of Kutcher then you have nothing to complain about since this is undeniably one of his better films. If you are watching this because you are a fan of Diaz then you may have reason to be bitter since this may be the worst film she's ever done.

Forget them for a minute though, because the real stars of this film are Rob Corddry and Lake Bell who play Hater and Tipper, the happy couples best friends. These two have such a brilliant love/hate chemistry that is seriously the funniest part of the film.

In the end I can't say that this is a great movie or one that I would highly recommend, but if you are a fan of the genre or the films male lead then you already know what to expect and you most likely will enjoy this film to an extent. If you are not a fan of either then you should really be looking elsewhere. Regardless, look at it for what it is and you will find something enjoyable about the whole experience.

This is a funny "no brainer" movie with a sweet ending. You don't have to think about the plot, it is very predictable. Just relax and enjoy the slap stick humor. This is a good movie to watch after a hard day of work with a couple beers and some popcorn. It will make you laugh and you don't have to bring your brain. This would be a great first date movie too.

Two people down on life do what losers do. Jack (Kutcher) is a grown up adolescent who just got fired by his own father. Joy (Diaz) is a control freak who just got dumped by her fiancé - in front of all her friends.

Naturally, the two dimwits think going to Vegas will solve all their problems. What follows is pure Britney Spears - they get trashed, party, and do incredibly stupid things. Awaking the next morning, they learn one of the stupid things was a drunken marriage. No longer inebriated, they agree that the marriage was a mistake, and after a brief argument, they agree to an annulment. Moments later Jack uses Joy's quarter and wins 3 million dollars. Naturally, they argue over ownership, and the wacky paint-by-numbers script ensues.

Considering that I find Kutcher and Diaz two of the less appealing stars in Hollywood, the movie didn't have a great chance of impressing me. The two stars were OK at best, providing a few chuckles along the way. Luckily, however, Jack and Joy's best friends who tagged along to Vegas were hilarious. Their constant banter, asinine behavior, and hatred for one another provide the only real hard laughs of the entire movie. Anyone who walks away from this movie without laughing at their "junk punch" scene doesn't have a sense of humor.

If it weren't for the co-stars, this would be a two-star snoozer for the most part. Much like actual gambling in Vegas, however, there are times when a lucky person rubs off on another. The friends in this movie are the lucky streak and overall I'd recommend it as a light comedy.

Hollywood loves copies. it takes some of the risk out of investing in movies, or so the legend goes. This film is another version of Honeymoon in Vegas. I don't mean kind of, or sort of. The male lead is similar, the female lead (Cameron Diaz) is VERY similar to Sarah Jessica Parker. How similar? SJParker is a beautiful actress with great legs AND gym work arms that are better than my own. Cameron Diaz is a beautiful actress with great legs AND gym arms that are better than...well, you get the picture. If they follow similar plots, even similar casting, you know you have a similar film. SO? Well, Honeymoon in Vegas, with James Caan, was very good. It had real plot twists, and real angst about losing a very foxy wife. This film, a derivative, is light and fluffy. It is pleasant enough viewing, but if you must get one film, do not get this but get the original: Homeymoon in Vegas, also in stock on Amazon.

I rarely will even approach anything with Ashton Kutcher connected with it, but this movie is one of those rare exceptions. My wife and I stumbled onto this movie on cable, and we both laughed our collective *** off, which is even more telling, since we have such divergent senses of humor. As someone above noted, the real stars are the supporting cast - the interaction between his lawyer and her best friend was priceless. The dialog was extremely well written and witty - the casting was eclectic yet dead on - Dennis Miller, Queen Latifah and, of course, Dennis Farina as Dick Banger - even that sychophantic floor trader who's always trying to stab Cameron Diaz in the back (and her wimp husband). If you've never seen the movie, the title of this review will make no sense whatsoever; however, once you do watch it, you will never forget it. In fact "YOU know why.." has become a much used phrase between my wife and I. Just good clean entertainment with a hint of naughty.

Well, it is as much as I have predicted, a barely watchable comedy with mediocre stars Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher heading the cast. There were some funny moments, Kutcher either had the better lines or more experience in comedies where as Diaz's only real success at comedy started and ended with There's Something About Mary. Kutcher shouldn't have quit his day job and stayed on That 70's Show, he played the airheaded clueless and incredibly dumb part very well. I think he's trying to break out more into film, and I guess it's only a matter of time when he's given the right script? I can't recall the last really good film Diaz was ever in? Can't say Charlie's Angels, it was OK, but nothing special. What Happens in Vegas pretty much plays out the predictable story of two people who go to Vegas to forget out their personal troubles, get hammered (like many I expect) and end up married. Perhaps by fate, Kutcher pulls the handle and thus wins 3 million dollars. Well, now they are both in it for the money, but instead of being granted an annulment or a divorce, Judge Miller sentences them to 6 months hard marriage counseling. Some funny things happen that I got a kick out of. Both do horrible things to each other to make the other quit. Diaz ties up the bathroom for hours, Kutcher uses the sink for a toilet and "Oh, by the way...it's your day to do dishes." Plus the removal of the bathroom door and the toilet seat was classic. I'll have to remember than one for myself. In the end, both being to "grow on one another" but in its predictability and cliché story/screen play...What Happens in Vegas pretty much lost my full attention about half way through. Not terrible, but certainly not great by any stretch of the means. I can't recommend buying it, perhaps watching it out of curiosity...that' about as far as it goes. There are better comedies out there, and if you want to see a classic with a Vegas back drop, watch "Honey Moon in Vegas", a far funnier and more entertaining film... pure, classic Nicholas Cage comedy at its best.

If you're looking at this film and considering purchasing it ask yourself just how much entertainment you expect from your purchases. If you're tight on money, and even if you aren't, you'd probably find this one is a rental at best and not something that is crying for permanent addition to most video collections.

Diaz and Kutcher do well enough with the material they're given, but that material is all too predictable and all too familiar for most viewers. Take two pretty people and their friends and send them to Las Vegas after they've both experienced life changing events, have them cross paths accidentally and then get together for alcohol fueled partying until, surprise! surprise!, the two lead characters wake up to find themselves married. The story could end right there, but gee, there's a lot more film to go, so here comes the convenient plot twist that keeps these two from separating until after they've made it past their mandatory time living as husband and wife.

Will they stay together? Can they live with each other at all or will the habits of the single caveman permanently and totally offend the beauty that he's been paired with?

Honestly, again, if you are considering this one go rental first. Unbox is a bargain compared to the regular purchase price. Even with the bonus digital copy that you'd get on the Blu-ray version, the value would be hard to attain for most viewers. The picture quality is ok, the load of bonus materials is ok (with a mix of some of the content being HD and some being standard definition on the Blu-ray version) and again, the Blu-ray comes with a Digital copy but is it all enough to justify making the purchase versus simply renting and watching it once? Probably not, at least not from where I sit.

Zero chemistry between Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher. The title makes it seem like this will be another Vegas caper flick. Not. Very little actually happens in Vegas here, though what does happen is what passes for the funniest part of this unfunny date movie. The rest is a yawn, at best. Nothing is even remotely believable. Watch if you have nothing better at hand.

This movie is a bit formulaic, but its a rare romantic comedy that isn't. There are a few different elements in this one tho. Mostly romantic comedies have the couple as "Dislike", followed by "Like", followed by "Crisis of misunderstanding", follow by "Love".

There are a few more wrinkles in this one that stretch the formula out some in an entertaining way.

One plot element that didn't make sense is that they had to succeed at marriage counseling in order to have their marriage annulled, and the counselor said that they were a good match, so the judge granted the divorce (should have been an annulment). However, this didn't really detract from the enjoyment of the comedy in the movie.

If you have cable and have already watched movie channels' "blockbuster of the month", you could do worse than catch this movie in later weeks. LOL

Joy (Cameron Diaz) escapes to Vegas after her fiancé dumps her in front of their friends. Jack (Ashton Kutcher) decides that Vegas is the perfect destination after he's fired by his father. The two meet, talk, drink, and get married. The morning after, their plan to get an annulment is derailed when they win $3 million. A divorce judge (Dennis Miller) orders them to stay married and live together for six months before he will release the money.

Chaos and hilarity ensue as the pair try to get their "better half" to concede first and attempt to trick their court-ordered marriage counselor (Queen Latifah). Along the way, Joy and Jack make some unexpected discoveries. A very fun (and not stupidly funny) comedy.