DVD Reviews

Couples Retreat

Couples Retreat marks another comedy in which Vince Vaughn unites with his usual cronies from other films, Jon Favreau (Swingers), Jason Bateman (The Break-Up), Faizon Love (Made), and Peter Billinglsey (Four Christmases), in a story about four middle-aged men and the state of their respective marriages.  Guitar Hero salesman Dave (Vaughn) is married to Ronnie (Watchmen’s Malin Ackerman) and has two kids; Joey (Favreau) is hitched to high school sweetheart Lucy (Sex And The City’s Kristin Davis), who he knocked up at prom; the anal-retentive Jason (Bateman) is married to Cynthia (Forgetting Sarah Marshall’s Kristen Bell), the two trying unsuccessfully to have a child; while recently divorced Shane (Love) has started dating a sassy woman half his age who likes to call all of her boyfriends "Daddy".

When Jason and Cynthia reveal to the gang that they're contemplating divorce, they enlist their friends' help for a possible solution: a trip to Eden, an exotic island resort that will be cheaper if everyone tags along. As the couple decides whether they want to "push forward or fold-up shop", everyone else can drink, sightsee and cavort. Sounds like fun, but the gang is worried about the "couples skill building" exercises that turn out to be mandatory. Along with the upper-crusty Euro staff, the therapy sessions and the "nurturing" seminars of Zen weirdo Dr. Marcel (The Da Vinci Code’s Jean Reno), the friends are soon up to their necks in new age nonsense.

Even the couples who thought life was good start to question their relationships as some probing therapists ask uncomfortable questions. The gang starts to fracture, and for Joey -- who clearly wasn't happy with Lucy from the start - the solution lies at Eden East, the singles side of the resort. Portly Shane also has trouble keeping up with his active girlfriend, while doubts start to creep in to Dave and Ronnie's heads. As one member of the group goes missing, the sexes split up and sneak over to the other side of the resort.

As a movie, there are things in Couples Retreat that work, and quite a few that don’t; making it a lukewarm indulgence.  In terms of a comedy exercise, it falls rather flat for the most part.  A lot of the awkward situations aren’t funny and pretty soon the silliness and stupidity of certain scenes and jokes can really creep into your brain and not let go.  Thankfully a colorful and hilarious yoga instructor named Salvadore (Carlos Ponce) shows up to provide some spice into the flick and finally get some laughter rolling.  He’s the MVP of the movie, and that really looks bad on the others.

Surprisingly, there are times that Retreat deals with certain themes that give it a sense of maturity you wouldn’t expect.  For the couples, they address a number of tough universal martial issues like infidelity, divorce, infertility, and mid-life crisis.  Then we have the biggest hook of the movie, both for the viewers and the actors to sign on for the picture in the first place…Bora Bora.  I find it difficult to believe that a location is a film’s largest appeal, and yet in this case it’s true!  You can’t help but to be mesmerized by the exotic setting the entire time the characters stay there.  The locale also greatly helps the visual appeal of the DVD.  The anamorphic 1.85:1 standard transfer is well done, especially in the scenes that highlight the stunning locations with bright blue water and green landscapes. Away from those settings, the image is very warm and soft, with comforting brown tones, but still with nice texture and detail.

The 5.1 track is fine - dialogue is always solid and clear, but the film fumbles a few opportunities to immerse you in the settings. A little more use of rear channels to put you in that tropical paradise during water, wind and rain sequences would have been nice, but there's nothing wrong with what's here.  An Audio Commentary rejoins Vaughn and Billingsley, and I was surprised at how dry it was. The mostly monotone guys are too slow and almost disinterested; in addition to some pockets of quiet (wake up, boys!) they don't seem very prepared with fun stories or observations. They are also too obvious and descriptive - but the biggest problem is that there's zero enthusiasm or excitement.

On the disappointing end is also all the additional scenes, including the Alternate Ending, Deleted Scenes, and Extended Scenes.  Each and every change or cut made to the film involving these bits was totally justifiable, whether it be for a lack of humor or purpose.  The Gag Reel isn't as long or funny as I had hoped, but a few laughs creep in (like Jason Bateman and Carlos Ponce breaking form during the tantric yoga). Therapy's Greatest Hits is a weak combination of deleted footage and bloopers from the therapy sessions, featuring the couples and therapists bouncing improvisation off one another.  Paradise Found: Filming in Bora Bora gathers the cast and crew for a short and mostly useless piece about how gorgeous the locale is (duh!), glossing over the more interesting aspect of the production designer's job. You also get Behind the Yoga, the best thing on this disc. It focuses on the scenes involving the gang and Ponce, and shows them all taking tantric yoga classes to prepare for the shoot.  Some Trailers round out the extras.

It’s not a terribly bad comedy movie, but Couples Retreat does come dangerously close to that label.  Safe and predictable, it's overlong and unfocused.  With the exception of the gorgeous locations and a few laughs in the yoga-themed material - it's an empty escape, a crime considering all the cool talent on board. At least they got a nice trip to Bora Bora out of it, right?  The DVD doesn’t offer much to improve the value either.  Most of the extras are utterly worthless.  If I were to offer any kind of advice, I would say rent it before buying, and if you’re absolutely purchasing, go for the Blu-ray.  Bora Bora probably looks even better there than it does here.

 Review By Ryan Young