All's fair in love and war, especially when there is a three million dollar divorce settlement at stake.
What Happens In Vegas is a romantic comedy about two mismatched strangers who tie the knot in the gambling capital under the influence of seve
ral bottles of alcohol, then head for the courts, where underlying tensions spiral out of control.
The battle of the sexes becomes increasingly vitriolic ("Till death us do part"; "Not unless I kill you first") fanned by two so-called best friends who have serious anger management issues.
Animosity between the reluctant newlyweds invariably kindles a spark of sexual attraction and this sweet yet slight confection totters awkwardly towards its syrupy, feelgood conclusion.
British director Tom Vaughan, who helmed Starter For Ten with James McAvoy, is blessed with sexy and adorable lead actors, who radiate energy and charm despite Dana Fox's poor script and its forgettable dialogue.
The opposites of goofy Ashton Kutcher and sophisticated Cameron Diaz do indeed attract, and there's guilty pleasure in watching these two actors spar, physically and verbally, including a centrepiece chase through the crowded streets of Manhattan.
They win us over even if, ultimately, the film does not.
In Las Vegas, dreams come true but for Joy (Diaz) and Jack (Kutcher), the Nevada desert is the beginning of a nightmare.
She arrives on the strip with best friend Tipper (Lake Bell), shortly after being publicly dumped by her fiance Mason (Jason Sudeikis).
He arrives at the same time in Sin City with best buddy Hater (Rob Corddry), determined to forget being sacked from the family business.
A shared night of drink and debauchery leads to the chapel and Joy and Jack wake the next morning with more than just a hangover.
Just as they have finalised divorce plans, Jack wins the $3 million jackpot on a slot machine using Joy's quarter. Needless to say, she wants half the winnings.
In court, Judge Whopper (Dennis Miller) hands down his verdict – "I am freezing the three million and sentencing you both to six months hard marriage" – and he refers the feuding couple to psychiatrist Dr Twitchell (Queen Latifah) for counselling.
What Happens In Vegas follows a predictable dramatic arc, with Joy impressing her husband's parents (Treat Williams, Deirdre O'Connell) and Jack going down a storm with his wife's grouchy boss.
Kutcher and Diaz perform the pratfalls with gusto and look good together, comp-ensating for a flood of greetings card sentimentality.
The remainder of the cast, including Corddry and Bell, are all two-dimensional slaves to the plot, nudging the lovers closer together or further apart.
The minute Joy reminisces about a lighthouse as her favourite place in the world, we know precisely where this manipulative slush will end up.
The full article contains 467 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
