Couples Retreat

2009, Rated PG-13, 113 minutes Directed by Peter Billingsley, Written by Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn & Dana Fox, Produced by Scott Stuber & Vince Vaughn, Cinematography by Eric Edwards, Original Music by A. R. Rahman

With: Vince Vaughn (Dave), Jason Bateman (Jason), Faizon Love (Shane), Jon Favreau (Joey), Malin Akerman (Ronnie), Kristen Bell (Cynthia), Kristin Davis (Lucy), Kali Hawk (Trudy), Peter Serafinowicz (Sctanley), Jean Reno (Marcel)

  

      Life can hit you pretty hard sometimes. It is so easy to get caught in the moments, the issues, and the stresses of life that families suffer and marriages are neglected; some realize it and accept it, others run from it, and some do not even realize that it is happening to them. Couples need to take time out for themselves to get things back to the way they were, to better appreciate their spouse and realize the importance of family. Couples Retreat plops you right in the middle of four such couples from Buffalo Grove, IL. Three couples are in a relationship that seemingly works for them while the final couple is considering divorce. And so we enter the comedically dramatic world of these four couples as they travel to paradise for sun, fun and therapy;  while it presents some laughable moments, it falls short in character development and strong story giving us another average romantic comedy.

Each couple is in a different place in their lives. Dave (Vince Vaughn) and Ronnie (Malin Akerman) are the parents of two and live busy and stressful lives. Dave can barely afford a Saturday with the family as work continues to pile on. Neither complain of their situation and they accept it as the reality of family life. Joey (Jon Favreau) and Lucy (Kristin Davis) married early because of a pregnancy, have lost a love for each other and are on the prowl for it elsewhere. Shane (Faizon Love) is recently divorced and as part of his mid-life crisis has picked up a 20 year old girlfriend, Trudy (Kali Hawk).  Jason (Jason Bateman) and Cynthia (Kristen Bell) are a driven and focused pair who no longer see the point in their marriage and have lost any sense of a spark and direction since they have not been able to conceive. As a last ditch effort they decide to travel to the Eden East Resort and bring along their friends so they can get a group discount.

On the island the couples quickly find out they are getting more than they bargained for as they are forced to participate in sunrise couples building activities and couples therapy before they can enjoy the beautiful island. Each scene on the island attempts to create humorous situations that also develop the story and give moral lessons and conflict solutions. I could go on to explain more, but you probably know how it ends.

There are moments of comedy spread throughout the film. It is always funny to see a kid use the bathroom in a display toilet, or a 40 year old man trying to keep up with a spunky 20 year old girlfriend or even to see a husband point a hypothetical gun at his therapist and demand answers. Several scenes illicit laughs but lose them very quickly. While there may be a good punch line or a funny situation in a scene it is often lost  amidst the bland nature of the rest of it. Of the segments that are funny, many of them have been done before. The laughs lack a sense of originality and depth.

The characters themselves are very poorly developed. The very nature of trying to adequately present, explain and resolve 4 couples years of marital problems in the span of an hour and a half is a daunting task that Couples Retreat  is not up to. Each couple gets so little screen time to themselves that it is very hard to connect with and understand them in a way that attaches the viewer to the movie. The story glosses over the details of the characters lives and tries to rely on generalizations which inevitably leaves you wanting more.

The interaction between Vaughn and Favreau is quite funny as they bicker with one another in the characteristic Vaughn Favreau style that has made these actors popularly funny. The rest of the actors, however do not seem to connect with each other well enough to create a realistic feel. It often feels like they are reading lines and waiting for their counterparts to respond. 

Despite the undeveloped characters, the movie does deserve credit for taking a positive stance on marriage. It makes marriage a think worth fighting for. While the conflict resolution between the couples is quickly and comedically glossed over, in the end you feel optimistic for these couples who went through the trouble to try and confront the issues that were scratching away at their marriage. In the end the movie brings a positive message that problems can and should be addressed and that marriage is a good thing and a positive influence on a person’s life.

Couples Retreat, while it may illicit a few laughs here and there, by and large misses the mark for an above par romantic comedy. It tries to deal with too many issues too quickly and as a result leaves much of the story and the characters undeveloped making it hard to connect. Life is hard, and so is delivering an excellent romantic comedy. Couples Retreat, unlike the marriages portrayed in the film, does not quite make it.

C

Content Advisory

There are several sexual situations throughout the film, brief partial male back nudity, minimal profanity, and some partying scenes.

Food for thought/discussion

1. The movie seems to suggest that every couple, whether they realize it or not, has issues or problems. Do you agree or disagree? How should couples bring those problems to light and deal with them?

2. Joey rationalizes his adulterous affairs by saying that every man cheats, either inwardly or outwardly. Is this rationalization correct or incorrect? Is there a difference between adultery in the mind, and adultery physically committed?

3. Dave and Ronnie realize they are in a making it work marriage. Why is this a negative thing? What do they do to get out of this rut?