Couples Retreat
Tags: bleak

Plot synopsis:
This movie focuses on 4 couples:* The married with two young kids Dave & Ronnie (Vince Vaughn & Malin Akerman).
* The hyper-organized couple who cannot conceive Jason & Cynthia (Jason Bateman & Kristen Bell).
* The married since they were in high school couple Joey & Lucy (Jon Favreau & Kristin Davis).
* The recently divorced Shane (Faizon Love) and his new 20 year old girl friend, Trudy (Kali Hawk).We see each of these couples go through their trials Ronnie is trying to remodel the house while Dave, who sells Guitar Hero, is uninterested. Lucy and Joey cheat on one another and seem to be waiting for the day their daughter goes off to college so they no longer have to pretend their marriage is real (though they do give good parenting advice to their daughter). Shane wants to buy a motorcycle to keep up with his new girlfriend. Jason and Cynthia are preparing a PowerPoint to show their friends, and Jason insists on checking Cynthias work. They set up their presentation at Ronnie & Daves house during one of the kids birthday party. The friends (minus Trudy, shes downstairs watching the magician with the kids) are all afraid theyre going to see another video about ball cancer but instead they see an island getaway. This paradise offers marital problem-solving, which the others are less keen on, but Jason and Cynthia drop the bomb that they are thinking of divorce, and ask their friends to please take the trip with them, because if four couples sign up, they can get the discounted group rate. Shane, Joey and Lucy seem to like the idea, but Dave and Ronnie argue that they simply cannot drop out of their lives right now, with all theyve got going on. Later on, Jason sneaks into Dave and Ronnies house, waking up everyone to plead with him to help him save his marriage. The kids say they overheard and they dont want their parents to get divorced, so they called Grandpa and he will come watch them. The couples are off.They take a boat out to the Eden resort, and find out that their destination is Eden West, a couples skill-building retreat. Eden East, the other side of the island, is a singles bacchanalia with all the pleasures the flesh could want. Joey and Lucy are both intrigued by this other side of the island. They get to their cabins, marvel at the scenery and agree that this could be nice. The couples join at dinner and are told by Sctanley (with-a-c) that they can either have all the activities of the island (including the couples therapy) or none of it at all. After eating a delicious dinner, they decide it cant hurt to talk to a therapist for a little bit and then get on some jet-skis. They go back to their rooms and Joey tries to pleasure himself to a picture of a girl from the Eden East brochure, but is interrupted by a room service waiter.The next morning, the couples meet Marcel, who has a plan for each of them. They will come to better understand each other in their marriage and find their spirit animal. They face each other and remove their masks, stripping down to their underwear (or in Shanes case, absolutely nothing) and telling each other that they love their bodies. Then it is time for therapy. One of the therapists is Ken Jeong, and he gets the pleasure of seeing Jason and Cynthia. Jason asks him if they have a better or worse chance of making it than other couples hes seen. He even pulls out his fingers in the shape of a gun and tries to get the therapist to give them a number from 1 to 10, but the therapist tells him to holster it. Dave and Ronnie go into their session feeling pretty good about themselves, but the therapist makes them think that maybe theyre just surviving instead of living and being happy together (a theme that goes on for the rest of the movie). Next is a visit with the sharks, where Jason spills the bucket of chum on Dave and Dave receives a minor scratch. Meanwhile, Trudy and Shane went on a bike ride, and Shane is struggling to keep up, which makes him start to realize his limitations in keeping up with her. Lucy and Joey go to get a couples massage, but they end up in different rooms, with masseurs of the opposite sex. Lucys masseuse is gay, and Joeys masseuse turns him on but tells him hes not getting a Happy Ending so he asks her to leave so he can calm himself.That night at dinner, Trudy is mad at Shane, saying he promised her a fun vacation and they havent partied or anything. He consoles her by saying theyre going to have sex in the room, and they leave. Ronnie wants to hike to a waterfall she heard about, a place thats supposed to be really romantic, but Dave is too busy being a baby about his shark attack and heads to bed alone.The next day starts with Yoga, with an instructor who is very touchy feely, and all about encouragement by patting on the rear (men and women). Lucy obviously finds him attractive, asking him to help her go into a deep stretch that involves a sexual looking position. Later at the spa, Ronnie ask Lucy what she thought she was doing, and how would she feel if Joey cheated on her. At Jason and Cynthias therapy session, we learn that Jason blames Cynthia for the fact that she cannot get pregnant. Jason talks to the guys about how sex is so routine and how it is frustrating.Marcel tells the group that they must gather at the beach before sunrise the next morning, and not to eat or drink anything too late. Back at the cabins, Shane discovers that Trudy is missing. They decide she must have gone to Eden East to have some fun. Joey, whos been trying to figure out a way to get to Eden East since they got here, decides theyll take the canoes to try and rescue Trudy. Jason is against the idea, since hes a very follow the rules kind of guy, but they remind him that Marcel said they must all be there, so without Trudy theyd be breaking the rules anyway. Jason goes along, and criticizes Cynthias rowing. A storm suddenly comes up and Jason and Cynthia capsize, which of course was Cynthias fault as well. Finally, Cynthia jumps out of their canoe and swims the rest of the way to shore. She tells Jason that she is sick of being blamed for everything, and that shes done. She runs off into the woods, and the other girls follow her, telling the boys theyll meet up at the giant party. They boys go off and start discussing one anothers problems. Jason is too controlling, and blames Cynthia for everything. Shane should never have tried to be with someone so young, he should have made his marriage work. Joey wants a wife who will listen to all his stories and problems but he doesnt want to listen to anything she says. They do a very funny bit about going to Applebees all by yourself and having no one to talk to. Daves wife loves him, and just wants him to be involved, and he cant seem to find the energy or the attention. Kids and work and the remodel have gotten in the way of their being happy with one another. Meanwhile, theyve stumbled upon what they think to be an empty cabinThe girls talk about how at least Cynthia tries to make it work, while it seems like Lucy has just given up completely. They come to a clearing, where we see the waterfall Ronnie was talking about, and she laments that she cant be here with Dave. The Yoga instructor swims up from the other side of the island (naked) and offers them some island made sweet rum. Lucy and Cynthia want to cut loose and party, while Ronnie just wants to find Trudy and the boys and get back to the other side.The boys discover that the cabin is not abandoned; it is actually the staff quarters, where Sctanley is playing Guitar Hero while the other guys watch. Sctanley threatens to call Marcel on the boys, but Dave makes a bet if Sctanley can beat him at Guitar Hero, he can call Marcel or take Daves bribe. If Dave wins, he gets to keep his money and Sctanley will help them get to Eden East. Dave of course wins and Sctanley gives them directions.A few things happen at this party. Joey goes off with some young hot girls, saying that since he got married right after high school he never got to be young and have fun. Shane finds Trudy, and tells her that hes sorry, and she should go off and enjoy being 20. He is then found by his ex-wife, who says that she thought she wanted more out of life than just being with Shane. She tells him that she loves him, and wants to be with him again. Ronnie gets tired of the partying, and finds Dave, who takes her to the waterfall, and they talk about the fact that theyve stopped paying attention to each other. Cynthia and Jason reconcile, and Joey sees Lucy dancing with the yoga instructor and gets jealous, realizing he still loves her. He punches the yogi out (saying Encouragement) and tells his wife he cheated on her. She yells that she cheated on him, and they yell at each other about going to Applebees and kiss and make up.The couples return to Eden West, after sun-up, and Marcel is angry that they did not follow the rules. Dave tells Marcel that they worked out all their problems and they dont need him to give them anymore couples skill-building, and Marcel smiles and agrees. He gives them woodcarvings of their spirit animals (Rabbit, wolf, honeybee, and donkey) and they go jet skiing.~Wendy~

Review: Having enjoyed Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau in Swingers, I thought that this had a pretty decent chance of being a funny movie.No dice.
There are a few hilarious scenes – the yoga session undoubtedly the most memorable – just nowhere near enough.Of the cast Vaughn and Akerman come out best, their natural chemistry and adroit comic timing going a long way to keeping the movie afloat.
Bateman, Bell, Davis and Love all fail to ever get us laughing, whilst the extended cameo from Jean Reno is possibly the worst stuff the experienced Frenchman has ever put on celluloid.If you are looking for an easy comedy with fabulous locations (and women) then this might do the trick, but I definitely could not recommend spending your had earned cash to see this at the cinema.
Short on cash, they enlist help from their friends to offset the cost through a group rate: the kid-raising Dave (Vince Vaughn) and Ronnie (Malin Akerman), the lovelessly married Joey (Jon Favreau) and Lucy (Kristen Davis), and the recently divorced Shane (Faizon Love) and his much younger girlfriend Trudy (Kali Hawk).
The three other couples think they are just going to have fun and help their friends, but they realize they are in for having their relationships examined as well.Couples Retreat is not a bad film by any means, but it never seems to strive to be a great one either.
I can appreciate that, because at the end of the day, everyone wants to be entertained at the movies, and watching characters yell and put each other down in a comedy is not anyone's definition of a comedy (although a well made drama like Revolutionary Road can pull it off).
But in Couples Retreat, the drama and the comedy are balanced so easily that it makes one question how a movie like The Break-Up could have failed on so many counts.The acting is not extraordinary, but it is fairly well done.
The men seem to do a lot better than the women in all cases (likely because of how much more seems to be written for them), but then three of the four main male actors have spent much of the past decade working in comedy.
I liked her better in Watchmen, and she was one of the weakest things about that movie.Far from perfect, Couples Retreat is a decent film that never strives to be more than average.
He made a comment to his wife before he kisses her that was typical classic Vince.However, the movie is a bit too lagging between its laughs to really be a great comedy, and lacked a true heart of pathos for you to really connect with any of the characters.
I disagree with both of these.Sure this movie is NOT what you would expect when you hear the word comedy, but it seems to fall into its own sub-comedy genre, much like the recent Adam Sandler flick, Funny People.
You aren't going to sit on your couch laughing till your "thing" falls off, but you will enjoy a simple and relaxing movie while enjoying a few cheap giggles at the relatable characters and situations they find themselves in.Jon Faverau is gold, as you would expect by now.
Vince Vaughn plays his usual cynical, monotonous character, but you expect this from him by now and the comedy of this style of acting bleeds through.I will not try to say that Couples Retreat is a good movie by a critic's point of view, but it's just a movie that you can pick up on DVD watch and then put away until another time you feel like watching it again..
An idiotic script interpreted by illiterates.Makes Adam Sandler look like the genius he thinks he is.Couple's Retreat was bad in so many ways.
This thing fails miserably as a comedy, except for the few dramatic attempts, which were funny.Might have been a good excuse for a bunch of people to go off to a tropical island and pretend to do work.
I'm not a fan of this genre of film - but Couples Retreat never fails to bore me!It is a much higher standard of a romantic comedy, and has deeper levels than all the wash and reused story lines of most terrible films within this genre that often get high reviews undeservedly.The characters all have their share of screen time and the chemistry between the whole group works hilariously !!
No one tries to steal camera time, and the cast doesn't trip over each other in an attempt to try and be the funniest, they give each other space and the interaction works so organically to the situations within the film.The length of the movie is longer than most romantic comedies as well which is not a problem, but is instead a fantastic opportunity for such a genre to actually explore the individual relationships more personally, instead of using the same old relationship issues that we usually see.I usually pick and choose which actors/actresses I preferred in this movie, but all of the cast just clicked so well for me and kept the movie interesting.A really fun movie, great to watch and watch again and again.
If they have ever tried to write a screenplay or have ever written something even one step above raw sewage, I would be SHOCKED.I do agree with the critique about the movie jumping a little between serious truth-talking about relationships and just plain fun and silly laughs.
I thought perhaps that Jason Bateman could rescue the film, as he has been in some good movies recently, but he proved to be the most unlikeable obnoxious character I have seen in months.
My wife and I go to the movies about 3-4 times a month, so I guess it was time for a loser to appear.The only characters with any redeeming value were the women, with the exception of the 20-year old ditz with a voice like Woody Woodpecker.
A big part of the movie's comedy is the couple's counselors, like Ken Jeong and John Michael Higgins.
Couples Retreat (2009): Dir: Peter Billingsley / Cast: Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Faizon Love, Jon Favreau, Malin Akerman: Very funny comedy about friendships but also a celebration of marriage.
Jon Favreau needs to move up a level and start producing movies using the scripts of the next generation of comedic writers who are just waiting to get their material on the big screen.Vince Vaughn could still act in these new movies, but he would have to learn a new Shtick and drop his predictable, no longer funny, Wedding Crasher type character.The movie itself has bursts of humor but are minimal when sitting through this debacle.
The movie is set up to be funny but the characters just don't work well together and the comedy falls with it.
If it did, I would have been up to actually watch it.One word >>> Boring!Couples Retreat is based on an original idea of Vaughn's, the comedy follows four Midwestern couples who embark on a journey to a tropical island resort.
Vaughn gets all the good lines and the script seems oriented for his style of humor, while Favreau gets an hilarious scene where he wants to "play with himself" and gets caught by a resort employee.
It did have a couple of somewhat funny moments, but the entire time I was sitting there waiting for the movie to get good, only to be disappointed.
, because average people likes to see places on the movies that will never see in reality afar from that this movie has nothing more to gives you but only to take from your pockets and from your soul.I bet that commercial video tapes advertising luxury hotels can give you more interesting things than this film.In my opinion this is a bad commercial hotel advertisement.Don't laugh please its like the video tapes that hotels gives you for free at the reception.Bad script bad acting NOT FUNNY AT ALL !!!
This movie brings your problems and stick them in your face if you really want to forget your problems don't watch this movie.In every second trying to make you realize that your life is crap while being married then in the end it tells you "so what?" live your crappy life and be happy its enough with your shrink's time nothing is gonna change so accept it get your wife's back and stop dreaming a better life f**k you this is your life period..and if this was the target of this film "yes my life sucks" the target was pointed correctly..
Bateman, Vaughn and Favreau have worked in a couple of movies earlier and their off screen friendship only adds to their on screen chemistry.
The setting of the couple's retreat is very seductive, like the ideal summer holiday spot.In addition, A.R. Rahman's music is great.This is certainly not the best of the Bateman-Favreau-Vaughn collaboration (I personally preferred the 'Break-up') but it's fun for a one-time watch..
I didn't have to think too hard (at all) a decent ensemble cast, a few genuine laughs and a nice virtual vacation to Bora Bora.Pretty standard romantic comedy, following Jason Bateman & Kristen Bell who in an attempt to save their marriage invite three other couples (Jon Favreau, Kristen Davis, Faizon Love and Vince Vaughn in a nothing role) to join them at an island retreat for a week.
There are mandatory 6 am couples exercises with Jean Reno, hilarious yoga sessions, shark attacks, and escapes to the singles side for fun.Carlos Ponce (in a small but hilarious role) as the yoga instructor is a bright moment even if his character did remind me of Hank "Do you scuba?" Azaria from that hat Ben Stiller movie (Along Came Polly)Couples Retreat is mindless, harmless with fantastic scenery and about what I was expecting, so without any high expectations, no real disappointments.
It doesn't get better than Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau, Faizon Love, and Jason Bateman.
That's way too long for a movie like Couples Retreat and they still have to quickly tie up every single loose end in the last ten minutes.
The whole film feels like Forgetting Sarah Marshall without the humour plus some bad acting which equals a much needed warning label from Lemony Snicket on the back cover.Jason (coincidentally played by Jason, which is about as imaginative as the script goes) is so clueless with women there was easily enough leg room for humour, however sadly it just left me feeling like Casanova – which is saying something, rather than in fits of giggles like a comedy should.
Equally missed opportunities are shared by the cast which even the cleavage and scarcely clad women can't compensate for.I'm happy to give credit to films where it is due, but I genuinely can't think of a single reason to watch Couples Retreat other than Kristen Bell in a bikini.
What follows is a rom-com with just too many sexual innuendos to make this a comfortable viewing experience with anybody except perhaps same-sex partner.( Trust me, there's a least one scene in the film that will make it uncomfortable to watch with anyone of a different relationship) What you already know is in it--- Attractive women paired with overweight to average looking men, Vince Vaugh with sharks, typical relationship problems that are so mundane the writer don't feel to explain them fully or give them any depth, and long glances at people who are not your partner ( but it's OK, 'cause we're on vacation!!!) What you may not know is in it--- Extremely awkward and unfunny sexual themes and innuendos that will demand the laughter of any audience, because having to endure the uncomfortable silence is far worse; i.e. Is Fabio humping an obese black man?
It makes Couples Retreat look like an actual relationship counseling video; but at least i can watch with someone w/o having to avoid eye or physical contact for the next hour and half..
But in order to get a good deal for the travel, they ask there friends to come along has well,(Vince Vaughn and Malin Ackerman), (Jon Favreau and Kristen Davis) and (Fazon Love and Kali Hawk) to come along as well.
So you choose comedy.Be warned: this is meant to be a comedy film, and on both respects it fails beyond failure....What you get is nearly two hours of therapy - if this is comedy, kill me.Seriously unfunny and utterly soporific.Pseudoclaptrap disguised as comedy with a cast that are totally washed-out and seem totally bemused - and on holiday...There's little here to hate outright, but absolutely nothing to like let alone love.If 2 hours of couples talking about their feelings is your thing then go to the theater and see a great play; but this, this has no place at the cinema - and it will be pure torture for most (especially men)..
So viewers,have a great time watching the movie..A nice comedy in a island with couples...COUPLES RETREAT..
This could be a fun family movie with a good cast of couples.
It's my favorite Vince Vaughn film and a great movie.
I would have expected a riot of a time given what's in the trailers, but what turned out was plenty of bore, with a story that went way off its potential, and allowing mediocrity to barge into the film no thanks to the lacklustre narrative written by Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn and Dana Fox, who all seemed more eager to insert smarty one liners whenever they can, rather than to focus on the predicament of the four couples featured in a paradise island.It's irritating to find that in comedies especially, narratives sometimes get pretty much chopped up due to ad-libbing, NGs, or just for the plain insertion of a funny line that became too difficult to replicate for another shot.
Vince Vaughn's Dave and Malin Akerman's Ronnie seem like the perfect wedded couple with their nice little family, and being the informal leader of the group of friends, and to round things up, Jason Bateman's control freak Jason and wife Cynthia (Kristen Bell) who are on the verge of a breakup due to their inability to conceive, until a foursome package was signed up to bring everyone to Eden West, a paradise island for adult couple therapy.But to get to the island, we got to get through, like the therapy sessions in the film, the boring bits to establish each and every character and key relationships, before a hokey powerpoint presentation and some arm twisting managed to finally shift gears and get the characters to where they should be.
What more, A.R. Rahman was credited to providing the movie music here, but try as hard as I can, I didn't catch anything that was remotely memorable in the soundtrack.Couples Retreat comes with the standard messages of treasuring your loved ones, not taking them for granted and to always continue finding that romantic spark to spice up the relationship, but other than that, it's a tired comedy that has to be injected with cleverer ideas other than the usual frat boy sex jokes..
The cast is really good, Vince Vaughn still got the necessary to make people laugh, Jon Favreau is also very funny in this movie.
But with names like Vince Vaughn, Kristen Bell, and Faizon Love it obviously wouldn't have worked.What we get is a poor comedy stuck in a drama filled plot.
Almost nothing in the film is funny or worthy of the title "humor." Vince Vaughn's quick witted mind is probably the only think that works for this movie.
Just cliché.The scenery in Couples Retreat is the best thing the film has going for it next to Vaughn.
It's undeniably awkward.Starring: Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau, Faizon Love, Kristen Bell, Malin Åkerman, Kristin Davis, and Kali Hawk.
The plot certainly has the makings of a great comedy, but the final product falls pretty much flat on its face.Not many laughs to be had, as far as I'm concerned, and the whole story just loses its way shortly after the 4 couples arrive at the resort.Sure, I have seen worse, but they could have - and should have - done so much better with this movie.The one thing this film has going for itself is the spectacular scenery.
Here we have a film where couples' marriages might be in jeopardy so this could be a good comedy for them.
Based on 4 couples, who go-for a therapy holiday & finally bond.There's Vince Vaughn & the gorgeous Malin Akerman, Jason Bateman & Kristen Bell & two more.
Why do I keep watching Vince Vaughn movies?
They decide to go to an island with their friends to try and patch up their marriage.If you are in need to see a film that is up lifting and funny, go see Couple Retreat...it works!!.
With such a great ensemble cast and its classification as a comedy you would think that the film would have at least one funny scene but amazingly it didn't!
In isolation, Jon Favreau- top writer and actor, Vince Vaughn- yes always the same character but he is undoubtedly a pro, Kristen Bell- quirky, fun and a great comedy actress, Jason Batemen- who doesn't love Arrested Development, even the great British national treasure that is Peter Serafinowicz pops up in a role plus the man that is Jean Reno from Leon fame!
The movie also stars Jason Bateman, Faizon Love & Jon Favreau.
They might have had fun working together, but for the viewers these films are a huge mess.A group of friends are convinced of going to a couple's retreat in a paradisiacal island because Jason (Jason Bateman) and Cynthia (Kristen Bell) are having marital issues and want to find a solution to their problems.
Vince and Jon have been good friends throughout the years and have even shared screen time together in movies such as "The Break-Up" and "Four Christmases".