COUPLES RETREAT
Directed by Peter Billingsley
Universal Release
PG-13

Jason (Jason Bateman) and Cynthia (Kristen Bell) have been married eight years and have run out of love for each other thanks to their inability to conceive a child. They have discovered a program for couples at a place called Eden Resort but can only handle the costs of a group rate. So they convince three other couples to join them: Dave (Vince Vaughn) and Ronnie (Malin Akerman) who have two kids; Joey (Jon Favreau) and Lucy (Kristen Davis) who married as high school sweethearts and now are contemplating divorce; and Shane (Faizon Love) whose wife has left him so he's dating Trudy (Kali Hawk), a 20-year-old hedonist..

Expecting to sleep and sunbathe and water ski, the group learns that in this paradise Marcel (Jean Reno), who calls himself a "couples whisperer," wants them to restructure their intimate relationships through various physical, mental and spiritual exercises. Director Peter Billingsley makes the most of the beautiful setting (the St. Regis in Bora Bora) but is not able to stop the comedy's predictable rush to a happy finale. The funniest scenes involve sexual hijinks by Joey and by a muscle-bound yoga instructor (Carlos Ponce) who excites his wife. This film might be funnier with several rum punches in hand.


Reviewed by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Rating: 1/5