Couples Retreat

This intermittently funny vacation romp taps into the fantasy of running off to a tropical island paradise (like the exotic St. Regis in Bora Bora, French Polynesia, where it was filmed), with the plot revolving around four Midwestern couples who undergo relationship therapy. Their adventure is initiated by Jason (Jason Bateman) and Cynthia (Kristen Bell), who, failing to conceive a child after eight years of marriage, wonder if they're really meant for each other and are considering divorce. The pair discover a New Age renewal program run by a tyrannical “couples whisperer,” Marcel (Jean Reno), at the Eden Resort, but they can only afford the group rate, so they recruit three other couples to join them. Dave (Vince Vaughn) and Ronnie (Malin Akerman) seem like a rather well-adjusted married couple with two children. At the opposite end of the happiness spectrum are Joey (Jon Favreau) and Lucy (Kristin Davis), former high school sweethearts who are only staying together until their teenage daughter departs for college. Finally, there's recently divorced Shane (Faizon Love), who is crazy about 20-something Trudy (Kali Hawk), who calls him Daddy. Written by Favreau and Vaughn (who collaborated on Swingers), along with Dana Fox, Couples Retreat quickly devolves into raunchy, risqué silliness as producer-turned-director Peter Billingsley forces the situational comedy with devices ranging from bizarre yoga exercises to a shark attack, not to mention tasteless references to testicular cancer. Not a necessary purchase. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by director Peter Billingsley and co-writer and star Vince Vaughn, deleted scenes (7 min.), “Therapy's Greatest Hits” outtakes (6 min.), a “Paradise Found: Filming in Bora Bora” location featurette (7 min.), a “Behind the Yoga” segment (5 min.), extended scenes (4 min.), a gag reel (4 min.), an alternate ending (3 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a picture-in-picture version of the commentary, extra deleted scenes (3 min.), and the BD-Live function. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a comic misfire.] (S. Granger)