182: Couples Retreat

Couples Retreat (PG-13) - 2009 - Runtime: 107 minutes
Starring: Everyone (I kid, I kid) - Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau...how about you just read the poster to the left?
Director: Peter Billingsley

This movie has a lot going for it: big stars, beautiful setting, sex appeal and a great premise. It's not that this movie isn't funny or bad, it's just expectations were pretty high for this movie (it is written by Favreau and Vaughn, the duo behind Swingers, my all-time favorite movie) and it falls just short of being great.

Jason Bateman and Kristen Bell play an obsessive-compulsive couple who chart out their lives through power point presentations, quite literally. They've come upon a stumbling block in their marriage: trying to make a baby and it's put them on the verge of separation. So in order to get back on the happily married train, they've decided to invite their friends for a group discounted trip to the most wonderful and gorgeous place on earth. It's supposed to be a fun trip, but everyone soon finds out there's work to be done on everyone's relationship and each couple faces the problems they've ignored or neglected throughout their relationship.

This movie is funny and at times is quite hysterical. But there are moments that drag on too seriously. This is not a screwball comedy and the movie deals with each couple's problems in quite a serious fashion. I noticed around me before the movie came on that the audience was quite older - I never in my life would think I wasn't the target audience for this movie, but this movie is obviously (now that I think about it) for an older audience to enjoy. I enjoyed the movie, but I was expecting bigger and more laughs and not for some serious character developments. I feel like I'm complaining about this, but it's just really unexpected in a movie like this.

I wouldn't say this is the funniest movie this year, but it does deliver for the most part. There were times where I just wanted them to stop talking and do something. Don't get me wrong, this is a a fun movie and quite harmless (PG-13 ratings will do that) but it's not exactly a memorable experience. You'll enjoy yourself while you're there, but don't expect to be quoting the movie weeks later.

Rating: Rent It!