Couples Retreat

Is this the ultimate couple's movie? No, but it was funny and is worth seeing. It is not Wedding Crashers or Meet the Parents, to clarify expectation but it the best comedy perhaps since The Hangover. Vince Vaughn is back and that is cool. He is charismatic and his word delivery is quite unique. He plays Dave and seems to be the leader of his clique.

The clique consists of Jason Bateman-Jason; Jon Favreau-Joey; and Faizon Love who plays Shane. They are sort of foiled into going on this vaction by Jason and Kristen Bell who plays his wife Cynthia. Their marriage is on the brink of a divorce so they want to try to solve their can not have a baby issues with one final shebang. Jason finds an exotic island that specialized in couple strengthening.

Dave and his gorgeous wife Ronnie played by Malin Akerman are reluctant. They have two children but then agree since they have never had a real honeymoon before.

Shane is also experience a divorce and is currently dating a girl half his size who soon runs circles around him on this island. He is apparently broke, goes into debt after purchasing a motorcycle he cannot afford but the movie skips over this detail. This makes little sense and aspects such of this chip away from this movie.

On this island, they stay in individual huts with part of the floor see through glass so they can see live fish underneath them, they eat for free and the food is amazing, and the entire scenery is gorgeous. The kick is, they have a thick and time consuming itinerary which forces them to discuss their issues with a marriage counselor even when they do not want. Jason and Cynthia are all for this. But Dave and Ronnie do not feel they need to attend. But everyone but Jason and Cynthia realize they have to do things they do not want to do but they do not want to break up the team since this is a package deal and they know Jason and Cynthia are begging for everyone to stick to this powerful regimen.

Upon arriving on this island, Joey meets four gorgeous young ladies who are on the east side of the island. It is separated by about 500 feet of ocean sea water. It can be navigated though with canoes ofcourse or by a competent swimmer. The east side of the island is for single folks. It seems to be one lengthy party. Security is not shown but it must be heavy. With all that free booze, I am sure alot of paperwork is signed by any customer who signs up for this loose vacation.

Jean Reno is the couple whisperer. That is an impressive idea. He plays Marcel and he performs well for mainly being in action movies such as Ronin, Mission Impossible and The Professional. The greatest scene is a yoga scene with Carlos Ponce who plays Salvadore. He is leading the yoga session in a speedo and he is mounting the everyone of them and gyrating himself. He positions himself all over these people, it is hysterical.

Vaughn's best scene can not be pinpointed. His conversation skills are on display here again. Whenever he is communicating with his friends, he just funny. His facial expressions are priceless. His character in this movie are attacked because he supposedly manipulates Ronnie so much and seems to get everything to go his way. He is charismatic, he is amusing, it probably helps he is not a small person, this is his likable personality. These traits were exhibited in the movie The Break. His wit and charm devasted Jennifer Aniston. He then duplicated this with Four Christmas where he manhandled Reese Witherspoon with his cordial manner and shrewd reasoning as well. Now Malin Akerman had the best shot in this movie in matching him, not because of her personality but because of her shape and appearance. She is cute at any point, she is completely stunning. She does not have the fake tan and is more attractive than Aniston. And Reese Witherspoon has not been gorgeous in anything in over ten years.

This movie ends with seemingly every relationship about to blow up. But with some turbulence that is induced by Shane's young girlfriend, the couples come back together in a way that only could occur with the help of some Hollywood script writers. Shane is broke but his wife comes back into his life. What she is doing on the Eden east, this resort is called Eden, is beyond me, but she is here and has been there for about 5 days. What? She is like 40 and not that attractive, this is pure fantasy. It is a about a 6 day vacation retreat. Meanwhile, Shane and Ronnie's children are being babysitted by their grandfather. Anyway, Jason and Cynthia make passionate love after spending about 2 hours away from each other. Something had to shake.

Joey punches the pretty boy Salvadore for dancing and trying to woo and charm his wife Lucy played by Kristin Davis. Then he and Lucy have a romantic embrace which was long past due. Jon seems to tag along with Vince, always appearing in his movies. His role this time is extensive and he holds his own. Besides Vince though, Shane is the funniest. Shane has some funny facial gestures of his own.

Alyssa Julya Smith is probably the most fascinating female in the entire picture. She should have had the role of Kristen Bell. But the casting director did us right with Akerman, she is a winner.

This movie had alot of beauty, but alot of loose ends which was not tied back together. I mean, did Dave really co-sign Shane's motorcycle without informing his wife? Shane did not have any money, absurd. Yes, Dave's child urinating in the furniture store's toilet, pretty cute. But Dave should have left a tip or cleaned it up himself. But this movie did have an extensive list of funny people.

I allocate this movie three stars.***