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Review: Last Vegas

Movie-Review-Last-Vegas

Synopsis:
Four childhood friends, now in their twilight years, head to Las Vegas for an impromptu bachelor party. One tries to move on from his past, one wants sexual freedom, another wants not to be coddled, and the last wants to share his life with someone. Shenanigans and antics ensue!

Cast:
Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman, Robert DeNiro, and Kevin Kline are the four elderly men on the scene playing, well themselves. Two of them are interested in Mary Steenburgen, one of them is engaged to (Canadian!) Bre Blair, all of them abuse Joey Ferrara, and none of them know who 50 Cent is – who happens to make his second big screen appearance this fall.

Review:
‘Cringe-worthy’ is a phrase that comes to mind before, during, and after this silly-named and absurdly pedestrian comedy Last Vegas, .which rivals The Hangover Part III as the most boring movie made about the gambling Mecca. Our four leading men are all gray-haired, but that doesn’t mean the filmmakers don’t try in every conceivable moment to make jokes about them being old. From jokes about pills to prostrates, these wrinkly old men clinging on their youth can’t help but act childish and provide some absurd antics.

Billy is the man of the hour, having proposed to his model girlfriend, a sexy woman half his age. The question was popped at a rather suspect time, and the two decide to elope in Las Vegas. When he breaks the news to his friends, who fear a phone call always means the worst at this age, they agree that a bachelor party is in order.

Only two men of the three friends are on the phone call – the other, Paddy (De Niro) remains a sloven recluse a year after his wife passed. All of their problems though, from lacking a sexual spark in a lengthy marriage, or being babied by concerned offspring, are sure to be neatly and nicely solved with a trip to Vegas.

Of course, everything that takes place happens in an orderly and convenient manner. This is a formulaic, cookie-cutter film that looks to do nothing but distract and swindle with stars. Even if for a moment you are worried about the fate and success of these characters, a nice plot contrivance allays any fears and makes for a fun weekend.

There are indeed laughs, more than a few, but they come with guilt, as if we shouldn’t be chuckling at this because it serves as an endorsement of lazy filmmaking that rides the coattails of big name stars having fun in Vegas.

It’s fun for them – the four stars don’t really have to do work. And can you blame them for agreeing to do it? They open a script that takes place in Vegas – I’m sure they don’t mind taking a break to the sunny gambling oasis in the desert. The experience of the viewer: not so sunny, drunken, and extravagant.

Should You See It?
If you really want to go to Vegas, but can’t make it, then maybe. It’s really hard to endorse this. You know what you’re getting.

[star v=2]

Anthony Marcusa

A pop-culture consumer, Anthony seeks out what is important in entertainment and mocks what is not. Inspired by history, Anthony writes with the hope that someone, somewhere, might be affected.