What Happens in Vegas (Widescreen Edition)

"What Happens in Vegas," the comedy starring Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher, is a story built on a ludicrous premise and laden with romantic comedy clichés, sparkly dental work, and frenetic acting. It's the kind of movie that makes you wonder, "What could they have been thinking?"
Commodities trader Joy McNally (Diaz) has just been dumped by her boyfriend. Jack Fuller (Kutcher) has just been fired from his job by his own father (Treat Williams). Hooking up with their respective best friends, Tipper (Lake Bell) and Hater (Rob Corddry), Joy and Jack head for Las Vegas to put their troubles on the back burner and cut loose. Joy and Jack meet each other, hit it off, get falling-down drunk, and wake up the next morning to discover they've been married. Now sober, they both realize they made a terrible mistake and agree to dissolve the marriage.
All changes, however, when Jack puts Joy's quarter into a slot machine and wins its $3 million jackpot. They argue over whose money it is until Jack reminds Joy that, because they're married, the money belongs to both of them. They go to court to argue ownership of the money and have a divorce granted, but the judge (Dennis Miller) orders them to stay married for six months.
If you're wondering, "Why don't they just split the dough and go their separate ways?" you have far more common sense than the script writers. When a movie is based on so flimsy a premise, it's very hard to get on board for the ride, especially when there is enough ineptness for three bad movies here.
The viewer knows not only precisely how the film will wind up, but how the journey will progress. There are few surprises, no twists, just the interminable waiting for the movie to end.
Diaz has been effective in other comedies, most notably "Something About Mary." She has a bright, sunny personality that can make her character shine when the material is first class. With lesser material, she tries hard, overacts in the hope of punching up lame gags, and is strident. Her Joy is never believable, and we never accept for a nanosecond that she has the brains to be a top stock trader.
Kutcher, who rose to fame on the TV sitcom "That 70's Show" playing a lovable dim bulb, is going down the path of career suicide by accepting role after similar role in substandard, dumb comedies like this one. He has the makings of a long career in film. He's good looking, has that hard-to-define star quality, and is likable. But he has failed to branch out into more diverse parts, even after showing some real acting chops in "The Butterfly Effect" a few years ago. His Jack is standard sitcom issue. We see he's a screw-up at the company his dad runs, but never understand why. He drinks a lot, but this is played solely for comic effect. If the movie is about the quest to find one's true self, it never addresses why the principals are lost in the first place.
The secondary characters Tipper and Hater, who have an ongoing love/hate relationship, are on hand for additional laughs, yet their repartee seems more mean-spirited and sour than funny. Their timing is way off, and neither knows when to underplay a line or let the camera create a punchline. They're hampered by weak material, never given an extended scene of their own, and relegated to limp one-liners. Ms. Bell and Mr. Corddry should watch a few Astaire-Rogers films to see how to alternate
attraction and repulsion comically. They were masters at it.
"What Happens in Vegas" is rated PG-13 for some crude language and scenes of irresponsible drinking.

Okay, so sue me; I laughed a lot while watching this movie. My wife said that the film was horribly stupid but I didn't care. Sure, it was predictable beyond belief but why would you expect anything but a predictable romantic comedy? I mean, yes, at times the humor was a little off color or just plain ridiculous, but in a world embracing the comedic genius that is Judd Apatow (don't get me wrong, this is no where near as good as an Apatow production) why would you get mad over that?

`What Happens in Vegas' is exactly what you'd expect from a comedy starring Aston Kutcher.

The film tells the story of control freak Joy and slacker Jack. Joy was just dumped by her fiancé and Jack was just fired by his own father. When all goes wrong the only viable option is to go crazy in Vegas, so that is what they decide to do. It is in Vegas where they meet and get drunk and get hitched only to wake up desperate to end their relationship; that is until Jack wins $3,000,000 with Joy's quarter and each wants the cash. What happens next is highly unlikely (very highly) but for the sake of the film we'll follow along. A judge sentences them to a half year of marriage before either of them can be awarded the money. Jack and Joy are thus forced to live together and `work on their marriage' in order to attain the cast they so desperately desire.

The pot shots taken are over-the-top at times, but funny none-the-less. The situation is more preposterous than any of the jokes, and the actions taken by the two main characters, as immature as they are, are believable when you take into context the nature of the characters they are playing.

I mean seriously, a lot of people are that stupid.

Cameron Diaz is above this, I will say that. She is a wonderfully talented comedic actress who deserves better than the material she is provided here. Her performances in films like `Vanilla Sky' and `Being John Malkovich' and even `My Best Friends Wedding' all prove her talent and should have garnered an Oscar nomination by now. Instead she is reduced to starring alongside Aston Kutcher in a film tailor made for his persona as apposed to her talent. This is not above Kutcher, in fact it is a step up for him (look at what he's done up until now). Honestly, if you are looking at this film because you are a fan of Kutcher then you have nothing to complain about since this is undeniably one of his better films. If you are watching this because you are a fan of Diaz then you may have reason to be bitter since this may be the worst film she's ever done.

Forget them for a minute though, because the real stars of this film are Rob Corddry and Lake Bell who play Hater and Tipper, the happy couples best friends. These two have such a brilliant love/hate chemistry that is seriously the funniest part of the film.

In the end I can't say that this is a great movie or one that I would highly recommend, but if you are a fan of the genre or the films male lead then you already know what to expect and you most likely will enjoy this film to an extent. If you are not a fan of either then you should really be looking elsewhere. Regardless, look at it for what it is and you will find something enjoyable about the whole experience.

This movie is funny, well worth the time to watch! These two actors are hilarious together. What Happens in Vegas is one of the funniest movies I have seen this season!

Two people down on life do what losers do. Jack (Kutcher) is a grown up adolescent who just got fired by his own father. Joy (Diaz) is a control freak who just got dumped by her fiancé - in front of all her friends.

Naturally, the two dimwits think going to Vegas will solve all their problems. What follows is pure Britney Spears - they get trashed, party, and do incredibly stupid things. Awaking the next morning, they learn one of the stupid things was a drunken marriage. No longer inebriated, they agree that the marriage was a mistake, and after a brief argument, they agree to an annulment. Moments later Jack uses Joy's quarter and wins 3 million dollars. Naturally, they argue over ownership, and the wacky paint-by-numbers script ensues.

Considering that I find Kutcher and Diaz two of the less appealing stars in Hollywood, the movie didn't have a great chance of impressing me. The two stars were OK at best, providing a few chuckles along the way. Luckily, however, Jack and Joy's best friends who tagged along to Vegas were hilarious. Their constant banter, asinine behavior, and hatred for one another provide the only real hard laughs of the entire movie. Anyone who walks away from this movie without laughing at their "junk punch" scene doesn't have a sense of humor.

If it weren't for the co-stars, this would be a two-star snoozer for the most part. Much like actual gambling in Vegas, however, there are times when a lucky person rubs off on another. The friends in this movie are the lucky streak and overall I'd recommend it as a light comedy.

Story - I was pleasantly surprised how funny it was. I first rented it and like it alot. Cameron and Ashton have good on screen chem. Surprise cameos of Dennis Miller. It really does hit the jackpot. Just as good on second viewing

DVD - Vivid color, picture quality excellent