Couples Retreat

English (A) Cast: Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau, Jason Bateman, Kristen Bell

Director: Peter Billingsley

In this romcom flick we have Dave (Vince Vaughn), a seemingly happy man with wife Ronnie (Malin Akerman) who is asked by good friend Jason (Jason Bateman) and Cynthia (Kristen Bell) to save their broken relationship by going together on a holiday to a resort called ‘Couples Retreat’.

Jason and Chynthia also invite equally dissatisfied couple Joey (Jon Favreau) and his unhappy wife Lucy (Kristin Davis) and also newly divorced Shane (Faizon Love) and lively girlfriend Trudy (Kali Hawk). However, the couples are in for a surprise when they are told that ‘Marital Advice’ was one of the item on the menu besides therapy sessions, yoga, and fasting. Soon they begin to wonder: Have they come to the right place to know what is wrong about their relationships?

This film is about ‘a friend in need is a friend indeed’ and family affairs which can be both fun and tedious. Fun, for its pleasant on-screen real buddies poking clean jibes at one another; and tedious for the lack of enthusiasm in the editing room. As a team the eight actors shared a comedic rapport. Among the cast, hunky Carlos Ponce is a scene-stealer as Salvadore, the yoga instructor.

Even though there are times when the editing falls, the script deserves praises for bringing some fresh ideas. Co-written by Vaughn and Favreau, “Couples Retreat” remains their archaic trademark push-and-tell story style. The good news, however, is that this vacation comedy has some substance besides Oscar winner A R Rahman’s music.

>>By Robert L Sungte >>Read more film reviews, news, etc on Deccan Herald