Three out of
Five stars
Running time:
98 mins
The plot is both feeble and ridiculous, but this still delivers more than its fair share of laughs, thanks to terrific comic performances from Kutcher, Diaz and supporting players Rob Corddry and Lake Bell.
What's it all about?
Ashton Kutcher plays Jack, a womanising carpenter who has just been sacked by his father (Treat Williams) for not taking his job seriously. His best friend Steve (Rob Corddry) persuades him to take a trip to Las Vegas to cheer himself up, which is where he meets buttoned-up commodities trader Joy (Cameron Diaz), whose best friend Tipper (Lake Bell) has persuaded her to embark on a similar cheer-yourself-up bender because she's just been dumped by her fiance (Jason Sudeikis).
With the alcohol freely flowing, Jack and Joy have a wild night together, after which they wake up to find themselves married and then quickly fall out, just before winning a $3 million jackpot. Back in New York, a judge (Dennis Miller) decides to make an example of them, freezing their winnings and sentencing them to live together for six months and see a counsellor (Queen Latifah) before he'll grant them a divorce and divide up the loot.
The Good
Thankfully, Kutcher, Diaz, Corddry and Bell deliver such spirited comic performances that you forget about the flimsiness of the plot. Kutcher and Diaz spark off each other nicely (particularly when trying to sabotage each other), while Corddry and Bell are hilarious and very nearly steal the film from the two leads.
The Bad
Getting the balance right in a romcom is always tricky – for example, whereas the recent Made of Honour was more rom than com, What Happens In Vegas is definitely more comedy than romance. The plot is paper-thin, predictable and preposterous, while the script doesn't even bother to give them a decent falling-in-love moment (for example, Latifah's character declares that they're in love, but we only ever see them argue in her office).
Worth seeing?
Despite the silly, overly contrived plot, the comic performances deliver plenty of laughs and ensure that What Happens In Vegas remains worth seeing.
Film Trailer
What Happens In Vegas (12A)