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No matter what the ad campaigns say, what happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas. And, no matter what past experience may tell you, Ashton Kutcher doesn’t always have to be completely irritating. Case in point: What Happens in Vegas.
Kutcher plays Jack Fuller, an aimless slacker who has no interest in pointless things like girlfriends or careers. After Jack’s dad fires him from the family business, Jack and his best friend, Hater (Rob Corddry), decide to blow off some steam in Vegas. That’s where he meets Joy (Cameron Diaz).
Joy is a straight-laced businesswoman with a great job on Wall Street. When her fiancé decides that he doesn’t want to marry her after all, Joy’s best friend, Tipper (Lake Bell), decides that Joy really needs to let loose for a while—in Vegas, of course.
Things get off to a pretty shaky start for What Happens in Vegas. Diaz is hard to believe as straight-laced, and Kutcher…well, he’s Ashton Kutcher playing an aimless slacker who doesn’t know when to shut up. While that’s not exactly hard to believe, it’s just slightly annoying. And when the two party together in Vegas, the crazy, alcohol-soaked montage had me dreading the next hour or so. But—fortunately for me—that’s when things start to get interesting.
The next morning, Jack and Joy wake up with hangovers—and wedding rings. As they discuss annulment, things get ugly—and they get even uglier when Jack puts Joy’s last quarter in a slot machine and hits the jackpot.
Back in New York, the newlyweds head straight to court. But instead of deciding who deserves the money, the judge (played by an absolutely hilarious Dennis Miller) decides to teach them a lesson. His ruling: they’ll stay married for six months—and try to make it work—or no one gets a penny.
Once Jack and Joy move in together and start trying to make one another’s lives absolutely miserable, What Happens in Vegas becomes one big, crazy, wicked-fun free-for-all. Joy is allowed to let go and be herself—which means that Diaz is, too. And Kutcher tones down the usual schtick a bit (but only a bit) until he’s almost loveable. Though the two are still totally silly and random and completely over-the-top, put them together, and it actually works. They even make those inevitable sappy parts mostly bearable.
Despite its shaky start and its chick flick predictability, What Happens in Vegas is surprisingly, wickedly fun. Though I definitely didn’t expect much from Kutcher and Diaz, they work well together. Of course, I’m sure it doesn’t hurt that they’re backed up by such a spectacular supporting cast—or that they had a pretty good script to work with.
Though it may not be as outrageous as an Apatow rom-com or as girly and romantic as many chick flicks, What Happens in Vegas is a decent pick for both guys and chicks. So if your girlfriend won’t let you see Iron Man, you’d be wise to steer her toward this one—instead of Made of Honor.
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