DVD Review: What Happens in Vegas: Extended Edition
Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz duke it out in this romantic comedy about Jack Fuller (Ashton) who has just been fired from his carpenter/furniture maker job by his dad/boss. Joy McNally (Cameron) is an uptight Wall Street trader who just got dumped by her boyfriend during the surprise party she was throwing for him! Both Jack and Joy head for Vegas to drown their sorrows. They get blasted, party all night with pals and end up in a hotel room married the next morning! All sober now, they plan to get the marriage annulled but Jack puts Joy's quarter in a slot machine that hits the giant jackpot! A judge says nobody gets the money until this new couple actually tries marriage for six months! They very reluctantly move in together and try to convince their savvy marriage counselor (Queen Latifah) that they don't hate each other.
Video/Audio: We got a screener disc so aren't sure what the final product will look and sound like. There were a few digital blips in this disc that most likely won't be on your in-store copy. Colors and flesh tones looked okay. Dolby sound was fine for this sort of film. Music was balanced okay with the dialogue.
Special Features: The audio "Commentary" over the film by director Tom Vaughn and editor Matt Friedman is upbeat and you get some fun insider stories of events on and off-set during the quick 46-day shoot. Kinda fun if slow at times.
"Sitting Down with Cameron and Ashton" is an interview/chat-fest with the two stars in Vegas. The duo dishes about their own Vegas experiences, how guys and girls differ in picking someone to hook up with, etc. Ashton seems more candid and relaxed than Cameron who is a little more "on" for the camera. Overall, a fun featurette.
"DVD Extra Time with Zach Galifianakis" features the stand-up comedian/actor interviewing director Tom Vaughn. Zach plays one of Jack/Ashton's buddies in the film and he's pretty funny but we would rather see Ashton Punk-ing somebody. "From the Law Firm of Stephen J. Hater, Esq" features very funny actor Rob Corddry basically doing a comedy sketch as his character in the film. Some of the lines are funnier than those picked for the movie. Enjoyed this one.
"Gag Reel" is goof-ups but also alternate lines that the very funny supporting characters threw out so that the director could pick the one he liked best. Again, some of them are funnier than what he picked. Ashton and especially Cameron keep cracking up. It looks like the entire cast partied hearty on this film. Entertaining.
"Deleted and Extended Scenes" are the usual; a few longer versions and stuff that didn't need to be in the film but the scene in the bar is pretty funny.
Wrapping Up: This kind of "whoops, we're married" story has been done a lot before but Ashton and Cameron are charming and goofy enough to make this film entertaining. Although a ton of the film just seems ad-libbed off the top of the actors' heads, the supporting cast (Lake Bell, Rob Corddry etc.) is hilarious at times. Warning: some of the dialogue and happenings in the movie and especially in the extras on this DVD, are a little risque even with a PG-13 rating. Queen Latifah is barely in the movie but if you are a rabid Cameron or Ashton fan or if you just like the comedy of the supporting actors, you'll want to buy this DVD. If you just want a laugh with pals, worth a rental.
***
Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.
