COUPLES RETREAT

COUPLES RETREAT (Universal Pictures)
Directed by Peter Billingsley

You have to be careful when attempting to place a grade on a comedy, simply because there are too many variables involved. Too often people go in with high expectations based on some notion that this will be the next big comedy to take us all by storm, when in reality it could be quite the opposite. And to this day, I have no clue why this is and why we place such high hopes on films that may or may not make us laugh. I guess when it comes down to it; there are some people that prefer to take their chance with comedies, then say the next sleeper ‘indie” or drama, cause they don’t want to have to think about anything. Box office numbers actually back this theory up, as it’s almost a given that whichever new comedy is being released on a given week will become the next number one film in the nation, no matter how good or bad it might be. And maybe that’s OK, given how diverse each us can be when it comes to our sense of humor, but at some point shouldn’t we stop and really look at what we’re about to walk into see? I think so and wish I did just that before watching the new comedy, COUPLES RETREAT.

The premise behind COUPLES RETREAT is one that probably any of us could have written, for it’s not too deep and maybe should have been. It all centers around four couple’s who get-together for a trip to Bora Bora for a much needed “vacay” in which they can focus on themselves. Well, as it turns out, this was not your ordinary resort, as it focused more on fixing whatever issues you may have with your significant other and ultimately leading you in the direction of happiness, if that was indeed your destiny. And for three of the four couples, this was not what they thought they were signing up for, but for Jason (Jason Bateman) and Cynthia (Kristen Bell), this was what they needed after several failed attempts ant conceiving a child had left them in somewhat different places from another. As for the rest of the group, well; stuck and virtually having no choice but to complete the program, they did the best they could and by a sure fluke, found out their relationships weren’t as perfect as they thought. For Dave (Vince Vaughn) and Ronnie (Malin Ackerman), this meant respecting each other a little more; for Joey (Jon Favreau) and Lucy (Kristin Davis), this meant opening up their eyes to see why they fell in love so many years ago and finally for Shane (Faizon Love) and Trudy (Kali Hawk), this meant figuring out they never should have gone on this trip together, after only meeting two weeks prior. In all, they wind up finding more truth than they thought they would, in the most unimaginative ways, ultimately leading to a conclusion that had a chance to payoff, but failed when it counted the most.

There’s no doubt the cast in COUPLES RETREAT is why most people will go to see the film and for that, more time should have been spent to ensure they all worked well together. Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau are one thing, having been the dynamic duo several times over, but even they seemed to be off their game a bit at times. Maybe it wasn’t their fault, but given they helped write this story; some blame may fall on them in the end, especially when there seemed to be little to no chemistry with the rest of the cast. Outside of Vaughn and Ackerman, no other couple seemed real and for a story that solely focuses on couples, that’s not good. Jon Favreau was way over the top, which would have worked, but his on-screen wife Lucy, played by Kristin Davis, had problem’s keeping up making for an uninspiring couple overall. But, at least you cared about them, which wasn’t the case for Faizon Love and Kali Hawk, who played Trudy. At no point, did these two fit into the mix ultimately being a distraction, if anything at all. That being said, the two that pretty much dwarfed everyone else in the series of miscasts was Jason Bateman and Kristen Bell. The one couple the story had to rely on the most wound up having zero chemistry together. I love both, but they just didn’t fit well together, which is a shame given their natural way on the big screen individually.

Tending to turn away from comedies on the big screen, I chose to see this movie for two reasons, Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau. Throw in a Kristen Bell and Jason Bateman, and I’m all over it, but somewhere along the way, the true point to this story got left behind. Maybe it was within the script, which Vaughn and Favreau helped write, as the dialogue wasn’t exactly great and overall the story felt uneven. Or maybe it was miscasting of stars like Kristen Bell and Jason Bateman, but given their resumes, it’s hard to believe that. I mean, anyone knows that with a poor script, it’s hard for even the best of the best to make a story like this worthwhile. Fact is, comedies are tough to make and yet, so many try and fail, leaving us with films like this, which look great on the surface, but in the end fall flat on their face. That’s why I cherish when a good comedy comes along, because it’s not often and when one does, it’s usually one where ample time was spent to ensure everything worked in unison. Sounds almost too simple, but I think producers and directors’ get too caught up with the cast sometimes and forget about the script, which may or may not work for the cast. Now, I think in this case, it was a combination of both, but either way, something should have been cut out, as this story felt more out of whack than it should have. At some point, someone needed to realize it was just a comedy and not to make it too involved, but that didn’t happen leaving you wondering where it all went wrong.

COUPLES RETREAT on the outside looks like a great mix of comedy and real-life situations that could happen, given the right circumstances. And maybe had more time been spent on the script and cast, it would have turned out the way, but it didn’t leaving you just as empty as you were before you sat down to watch it. So, pay no attention to the star-studded cast, as it’s more or a mirage than anything else, as this one will be hard to recommend, even as a DVD a few months from now.

D+