Nov/092
Couples Retreat: Not Dark Enough
COUPLES RETREAT is a romantic comedy about four couples – two are having martial troubles, one guy is newly divorced and dating a woman too young for him, and one couple is solid. Making this concept into a romantic comedy is problematic because a story about couples considering divorce isn’t romantic. We don’t have the beats of falling in love. While theoretically we could see the couples reconnect, that is not the structure of the movie. Instead, the events at the resort drive them further apart. Jason (Jason Bateman) can’t stop over-thinking and over-structuring everything, irritating Cynthia (Kristen Bell). Joey (Jon Favreau) and Lucy (Kristin Davis) aren’t focused on each other, but finding people to sleep with. Shane (Faizon Love) can’t keep up with his girlfriend Trudy (Kali Hawk). Even Dave (Vince Vaughn) and Ronnie (Malin Akerman) who love each other, start questioning their marriage. After spending the whole movie fighting without any romantic moments, in the third act everyone realizes that they still love each other. Even Shane miraculously reunites with his ex-wife, who declares her love for him. This happy ending feels forced and unearned. Other than Dave & Ronnie who are clearly still in love, the other couples do not seem to be meant for each other. Furthermore, the happy ending takes the bite out of the movie.
I think the movie would have been much stronger if not every couple finished the retreat successfully. COUPLES RETREAT wants to be a fun exploration of the pros and cons of marriage. Dave is the emotional heart of the movie. He has several wonderful speeches where he talks about how much he loves his wife and wants to be married. It would have been a more powerful movie if the humor were darker and more extreme as each couple explored their point of view of marriage, love, & fidelity. I think that COUPLES RETREAT is a dark comedy trying to be a romantic comedy. I enjoyed this movie, but it got mixed reviews. I think that the tonal shifts were the problem. Remember not every comedy about romance is a romantic comedy. When you have a great idea like a comedy set at a couples retreat, let the idea determine the genre instead of trying to force it into one.