Review: What Happens In Vegas

This is a movie I avoided at the movies. The romantic comedy with Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher had the makings of a complete disaster. It just looked too silly for me. Here we are now a few months later. What Happens in Vegas is about to be released on DVD and I was given the opportunity to review it.

So here we are. I've watched it and well...I have to admit...I enjoyed it.

The premise is pretty straight forward. Diaz gets dumped, Kutcher gets fired (by his father) and they individually decide to come to Vegas. Paths cross, they get drunk and get married. The following morning they decide to annul the marriage have a little tiff, and Kutcher ends up winning a 3 million dollar jackpot. Still wanting an annulment, they see a judge and are sentenced to six months "hard marriage" before the money is released.

Let's be honest, it's not a great movie. It's silly and extremely predictable but there are 2 main reasons why this movie is not a spectacular failure. The first is the chemistry between Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz. The two of them together is pretty electric. They're funny and seem absolutely natural. It was a perfect pairing. They take what would otherwise be a standard run of the mill romantic comedy and inject a bit of freshness and energy into it.


The second part is comprised of two things: Rob Corddry and Zach Galifianakis, the latter of which does not get near enough screen time. Rob is in the movie quite a bit and steals every scene he is in, at least the ones without Zach in them. Zach solidifies his standing to me as one of the funniest men on earth. This is displayed best in the gag real which was priceless (Cameron Diaz has a bit of a potty mouth!)

It's these things that kept the movie from falling into the usual pratfalls of a romantic comedy. Granted, there is nothing new here. It's predictable and by the book but it's a fun way to spend an hour and a half.

The rest of the cast is rounded out with Dennis Farina, Lake Bell, Treat Williams, Dennis Miller, and Queen Latifah, all of whom turn in good roles. Lake Bell was particularly funny when she was paired with Rob Corddry. Andy Daly also appears in a small part as a hotel worker and he has what is probably the funniest line in the movie. I'll let you check it out for yourself.
All in all What Happens In Vegas is a nice distraction after a rough day. It's a light romantic comedy that won't tax your brain. It's not fresh or new, but it's certainly an entertaining movie.

The unrated DVD comes out on 8/26 and has some hilarious special features including DVD Extra Time with Zach Galifianakis and the previously mentioned gag real. It also includes deleted scenes, and some pretty funny commercials for Rob Corddry's character.

Check it out, you might find yourself surprised!