Last Vegas (FILM REVIEW)
Last Vegas
Film Review
by Kam Williams
BFFs Reunite for Bachelor Party in Nostalgic Buddy Comedy
Billy (Michael
Douglas), Paddy (Robert De Niro), Archie (Morgan Freeman) and Sam (Kevin Kline),
inseparable since growing up in Flatbush back in the Fifties, have managed to
remain close over the years despite the demands of families and careers. That’s
why, when never-married Billy finally decides to tie the knot, the others agree
to throw him a bawdy bachelor party in Las Vegas, hoping to rekindle a little
of the macho magic of their glory days.
But even before
arriving in Sin City, the long-in-the-tooth senior
citizens are forced to face up to the fact that they’re no spring chickens. After
all, Archie is still recovering from a mild stroke, and has to tell his son
(Michael Ealy) he’s attending a church retreat to sneak out of the house.
Meanwhile,
Sam, who suffers from a futile case of erectile dysfunction, packs Viagra and
condoms for the trip with his frustrated wife’s (Joanna Gleason) blessing. And recently-widowed
Paddy has entirely lost his zest for life since the passing of his childhood
sweetheart (Olivia Stuck).
Even
groom-to-be Billy seems to be having second thoughts about walking down the
aisle with a woman half his age (Bre Blair), especially after his head is
turned at first sight by the hotel’s sultry, lounge singer (Mary Steenburgen).
Consequently, the reassembled Rat Pack’s highly-anticipated reunion turns out
to be less a licentious last hurrah than a nostalgic trip down Memory Lane. For
the guys end up spending more of their time reminiscing and teasing each other
than in pursuit of potential sexual conquests.
Directed by
Dan Turtletaub (National Treasure 1, 2 and 3), Last Vegas is a laff-a-minute
comedy, with most of the humor coming at the expense of members of this self-effacing
quartet as they grudgingly make concessions to old age. They remain good
sports, whether being the butt of jokes about hair transplants, hair color, medications,
looking old or mistakenly flirting with transvestites.
Not
surprisingly, the principal cast (featuring four Academy Award-winners in
Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Kline) has no trouble
generating a convincing sense of camaraderie onscreen. What is more remarkable
is how another Oscar-winner, Mary Steenburgen, makes the most of her support
role, upstaging he male co-stars by exhibiting an endearing vulnerability in a most
memorable performance.
The
Hangover, geezer style!
Excellent
(3.5 stars)
PG-13 for profanity and sexuality
Running time: 105 minutes
Distributor: CBS Films
No comments:
Post a Comment