Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Fox Home Entertainment– 99 minutes – 2008 – Rated PG-13 – 1080p Widescreen 2.35:1 – DTS HD 5.1 Lossless Audio

Romantic comedies seem to be quick moneymakers for Hollywood studios, because they are fairly cheap to make and as long as you pair up the right cute couple, someone will pay to see it. A series of commercials for Las Vegas spawned a very popular slogan that is the premise for the comedy featuring Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher, What Happens in Vegas, which is now available on Blu-ray from Fox Home Entertainment. If you enjoy comedies that are on the level of an episode of Married With Children, then you may get a few laughs; otherwise proceed at your own risk.

THE MOVIE

Cameron Diaz plays Joy McNally, a career minded businesswoman who is set to marry her finance Mason (Jason Sudeikis), but she becomes heartbroken when he unexpectedly dumps her. On the other end of the spectrum Ashton Kutcher plays Jack Fuller, a total slacker who is such a loser that his own father, who is his boss, fires him. As fate would have it both Joy and Jack are depressed and are dragged to Sin City to drown their sorrows. They two of them meet, get very drunk and then get married, all in the same night. Their first reaction is to quickly get the marriage annulled, but when they both hit the slots and win three million dollars, the question arises of who should get it. A judge rules that they should remain married for six months and then afterwards a decision will be made about the fate of the cash. Joy and Jack then move in together spawning a series of antics in hopes of one driving the other insane to force them to end the marriage so the one remaining will get the money.

Can’t you see this being the premise of a sitcom? But instead of being forced to live together for six months, it would be six seasons? What Happens in Vegas is in no way, shape, or form trying to be an intelligent or clever comedy, it’s just straight in your face giggles that at times feels like leftovers from an old Three’s Company episode. Kutcher and Diaz seem to be having the time of their lives in this film, because without their energy this movie would have been harder to watch. Another standout performance comes from Michelle Krusiec who plays Joy’s rival at work, particularly because of the cat-fights between the two of them.

If you find Asthton Kutcher annoying, then his dumb-boy acting style will drive you insane her, because he’s still playing the same guy from That 70’s Show. Which shows you that looks can only take you so far before people will demand something more. If Kutcher weren’t in the lead Mathew McConaughey would have been cast, because Kutcher is more or less the poor man’s McConaughey. The best thing about this movie is that it’s short and sweet, coming in at 99 minutes, so for you guys who have to sit through this to please your girlfriend/wife, the credits will be rolling before you know it, and you might be surprised by some of the things that are actually funny. What Happens in Vegas is a rental at best, but if you’re a die-hard fan of Kutcher and Diaz, you’ll be in heaven.

VIDEO

Vegas comes to Blu-ray in 1080p with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, and it looks fine, but nothing that will stand out above an up-converted DVD. Colors look great, particularly in the daylight scenes, and of course the neon of Vegas always looks good. Specs of grain do show up in darker scenes, but overall it all holds up. Skin tones are solid, and you can even see the heavy make-up they put on Cameron Diaz’s face. Overall, it’s nothing that will blow you away, but it is an adequate picture that does the job.

AUDIO

With a DTS-HD Lossless 5.1 surround mix, What Happens in Vegas sounds solid, with even dialogue tones and subtle things like background crowds that blend evenly. This is a romantic-comedy; so don’t expect the bell and whistles of an action film. The sound is simple, but it decent enough put you in the setting of the film.

EXTRAS

The bonus features are slim, but this is What Happens in Vegas, not The Godfather. Besides the gag reel and the deleted scenes, all the supplements are in HD, so it’s satisfactory. For those of you who want to take this film on your planned trip to Vegas, a digital copy is available to download.

There’s an audio commentary by Director Tom Vaughan and the film’s editor Matt Friedman, which is pretty lame mainly because this guys are attempting to be witty. And seriously, how much can you really say about a film like this?

‘Sitting Down with Cameron and Ashton’ runs ten minutes and is basically a promotional piece with the stars talking about how great the experience was…Blah! Blah! Blah!

‘DVD Extra Time with Zack Galifianakis’ is a mock interview with Galifianakis and the director throwing obnoxious jokes at each other.

Six deleted scenes that run seven minutes add nothing new to the film, but they are there, so watch them.

One of those dandy gag reels that we all love is also included, so get ready for some belly busting laughs. (uh…sarcasm)

Those on the go can download the digital copy of the film, and maybe this film is much more enjoyable watching it on a plane or a hotel room when you’re bored.

‘Bottoms Up!’ Is a drinking game that you can play while you watch the movie, and after a few rounds you may be convinced this film will win the Academy Award.

BOTTOM LINE

What Happens in Vegas is basically what you think it is, a simple romantic comedy that came out of a TV ad for Vegas. It’s a harmless film, and if you like either of the stars it’s a plus. This Blu-ray is you’re adequate, but probably no better than the DVD version. You may want to rent the film first to see if it’s worth your cash, otherwise just wait until it shows up on cable.

SCORES (out of 5):

The Movie: 2.5

Video: 3.0

Sound: 3.0

Extras: 2.5

Bottom Line: 2.5