Last Vegas - Movie Review
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
An almost ridiculously strong cast and a witty script by the writer of Crazy Stupid Love make this silly film a lot more entertaining than it should be. As it playfully explores long friendships and the struggles of ageing, it turns into a four-sided bromance. So even if the film feels a little under-powered, it's still thoroughly charming.
At the centre are four lifelong buddies who are determined not to grow old. Paddy (De Niro) is trying to recover from grief over his wife's death, while Archie (Freeman) is tired of being fussed over by his son (Ealy) and Sam (Kline) hates living in a retirement community with his spirited wife (Gleason). So they jump on the chance to travel to Vegas for a stag weekend for their pal Billy (Douglas), who is marrying a woman (Blair) in her 30s. And getting together sparks their youthful sense of mischief as they plan a lavish party. Especially when two of them begin to fall for lounge singer Diana (Steenburgen).
Having five Oscar winners in the lead roles gives considerable oomph to the whole project, as these seasoned veterans bring out engaging details of their characters. Douglas has the safest role as a hapless lover-boy, while De Niro does the emotional heavy lifting and Kline endures the cheapest jokes (because his wife has given him a "free pass" for the weekend). Meanwhile, Freeman is clearly having the most fun: cool and relaxed with a naughty glint in his eye. And Steenburgen provides some badly needed female feistiness.
So it's a good thing that writer Fogelman and director Turteltaub spend more time building the relationships than indulging in cheap gags. Some of the set pieces don't work at all (such as a swimsuit contest the guys judge, inexplicably), but most of the humour is smarter than expected. And best of all is the chance to see these terrific actors playing older characters who never give in to misty-eyed nostalgia: these are men who still have a lot of life in them, and aren't ready to sit back and rest on their past victories. Even if this movie won't add to their awards collections.
Facts and Figures
Year: 2013
Genre: Comedy
Run time: 105 mins
In Theaters: Friday 1st November 2013
Box Office USA: $63.9M
Box Office Worldwide: $134.4M
Budget: $28M
Distributed by: CBS Films
Production compaines: Gidden Media, CBS Films, Good Universe, Laurence Mark Productions, Outlaw Sinema
Reviews
Contactmusic.com: 3.5 / 5
Rotten Tomatoes: 47%
Fresh: 62 Rotten: 71
IMDB: 6.7 / 10
Cast & Crew
Director: Jon Turteltaub
Producer: Amy Baer, Joseph Drake, Laurence Mark
Screenwriter: Dan Fogelman
Starring: Robert De Niro as Paddy, Morgan Freeman as Archie, Michael Douglas as Billy, Kevin Kline as Sam, Mary Steenburgen as Diana, Jerry Ferrara as Dean, Romany Malco as Lonnie, Roger Bart as Maurice, Joanna Gleason as Miriam, Michael Ealy as Ezra, Bre Blair as Lisa, April Billingsley as Maid of Honor, Stephen Scott Scarpulla as Danny the Greaser, Andrea Moore as Bachelorette
Also starring: 50 Cent, Joseph Drake, Laurence Mark