I went into Couples Retreat gritting my teeth, thinking this is going to be another stupid Wedding Crashers movie with Vince Vaughn, and it's going to be stupid and sleazy. Actually, it was neither stupid and had just enough sleaze to keep you entertained.
Vince Vaughn plays a suburban husband with a perfectly viable, but not very exciting marriage. John Favreau plays a guy who's about to divorce his wife, Jason Bateman is about to walk away from his wife, and Faizon Love's wife has already left him for a twenty-year old salesclerk from Footlocker.
They all end up getting conned into going away to a paradise called Eden West on a fabulous vacation with a couple's rate as a favor to Jason who is trying to save his marriage and can't afford to go otherwise.
Couples Retreat is directed by Peter Billingsley, whom you may remember as the adorable kid Ralphie from A Christmas Story, who is actually John Favreau's longtime friend and collaborator, and has turned into a terrific director. The movie has a fair amount of heart—how couples relate, the difference between a good marriage, a bad marriage, and a marriage that is just kind of sitting there, chugging along, not doing very much.
I thought psychologically it was astute. The wonderful Jean Reno plays the major guru, and I'm not going to tell you how it ends, but you can probably guess. Regardless, this is a much better movie than you think it's going to be. Pay no attention to the marketing, just go see the movie. You and your spouse will have something to talk about afterward.
4 / 5
Dr. Joy Browne is the host of an award-winning, nationally syndicated radio talk show which airs Monday-Friday, 10 p.m.-midnight in New York City on the WOR radio network. To read more of her film and theater reviews, please visit www.drjoyreviews.com.
