Couples Retreat

Now Showing

In Cinemas 16/10/09

Director: Peter Billingsley

Stars: Vince Vaughn, Kristen Bell, Jason Bateman, Malin Akerman, Jon Favreau

Year: 2009 Running Time: 113 mins Rating:

This Jon Favreau-penned comedy pitches four couples onto a tropical island resort where they are expected to work through their problem relationships. However, only one pair from the group realises that's what they are there for...while the others go out and party. Favreau's Swingers colleague Vince Vaughn joins Kristen Bell, Jason Bateman and Jean Reno for this balmy rom-com.

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Review

Despite having a great cast, a solid concept and a fantastic location, this largely laugh-free vacation comedy is almost as torturous as the holiday from Hostel.

Using a Powerpoint presentation to announce they are contemplating divorce, uptight couple Jason (Jason Bateman) and Cynthia (Kristen Bell) convince their friends to sign up for a relaxing South Pacific holiday.

What the three couples joining them don't realise is that they will be obliged to take part in extremely unorthodox relationship therapy sessions presided over by the eccentric Monsieur Marcel (Jean Reno).

Arriving at the stunning Eden Resort, happily married Dave (Vaughn) and Ronnie (Malin Akerman), unsatisfied Joey (Favreau) and Lucy (Kristin Davis) and divorced Shane (Faizon Love) and his new 20-year-old girlfriend Trudy (Kali Hawk) are soon being put through the emotional wringer.

Reuniting Swingers stars Vaughn and Favreau - who both contributed to the script - Couples Retreat has none of the charm or wit of their hip debut. Poorly paced and with scenes that drag on interminably - much like Vaughn's romcom misfire The Break Up - the lack of laughs is palpable; any jokes that do raise a titter being flogged into lifelessness.

For example, an initially amusing scene featuring an oversexed yoga instructor soon outstays its welcome, with bulging Fabio lookalike Carlos Ponce's pelvic thrusting never being quite as comically grotesque as the close-up shots of Favreau's man boobs.

On the plus side, a sparkly toothed Peter Serafinowicz steals scenes as creepy Eden Resort employee Stanley and, playing a deadpan therapist, Knocked Up doctor Ken Jeong reminds audiences just how funny this film should have been.

The main cast all seem to be enjoying themselves, but then being paid to spend several weeks in Bora Bora with your best film industry buddies probably isn't that taxing. If only somebody had remembered to pack a decent script with the suntan lotion.

The real nadir comes, however, with some of the most blatant product placement ever to soil a cinema screen, courtesy of an unbearably tacky segment in which Vaughn and Serafinowicz indulge in a Guitar Hero face off.

About as much fun as having a holiday ruined by bickering, self-involved couples, this is one romcom you really should retreat from.