Review of Last Vegas (2013) by Panta O — 25 Jan 2014

A new comedy for the older generation directed by Jon Turteltaub is starring Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline and Mary Steenburgen. Lots of charm, but not much substance... still very watchable, thanks to the acting experience of the masters!

The story is about Billy (Michael Douglas), Paddy (Robert De Niro), Archie (Morgan Freeman) and Sam (Kevin Kline) and their friendship since childhood. Billy is the group's sworn bachelor, but finally proposes to his thirty-something girlfriend (half his age), and his best mates head to Las Vegas with a plan to stop acting their age and relive their glory days, throwing the best bachelor's party ever... Sadly, upon arriving, the four quickly realize that the decades have transformed Sin City... as well as themselves!

The film was called Hangover for the elderly, and that's what it is - Geriatric Edition! But, there are still laughs and some cuteness in it. The characters and the diverse situations they encounter would be mainly funny for the older generation but could be entertaining for certain younger viewers - if for no other reason than satirical juxtaposition. Younger moviegoers who were entirely uninterested by the Last Vegas trailers aren't likely to be won-over but the movie includes plenty of references to modern pop culture (references the characters often do not understand) to ensure that viewers who are much younger than the "Flatbush Four" protagonists can still be entertained - to a degree.

There is no real romance in this Jon Turteltaub's film - there are some attempts, but never takes off! It was sad that a man who loves a woman behaves like he is in some kind of trading game to pass the woman around based on which man needs or deserves her more. You can still enjoy it comfortably, especially the high quality cast involved if you manage to control viewing voyeuristic sexist urges which were not kept check. I wish that the screenwriter and the director concentrated more on the friendship and less on slack jawed leering.