Couples Retreat: A Sticky And Uncomfortable Situation

Couples Retreat is a comedy film about a group of couples that go on holiday to an island resort thinking it will be fun, sand and sun. However, when they get there they realise that instead they will have to work on their relationships and reconnect, the horror.

Standard, that is the word I would use to describe this film. There is nothing particularly special about it one way or the other, it is neither good nor bad it is just very average.

The cast is okay with Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau and Kristen Davis getting most of the funny moments, which are few and far between. Most of the film’s jokes don’t work and fall flat there are more hits than misses comedy wise as a whole in the film.

The characters are the usual collection of cliches, the busy guy, the overly anxious guy, the couple that say they don’t want to be together any more but secretly do, etc. In terms of plot and narrative the film is nothing new either, this is the same thing you have seen before just with a different cast. Said cast are never given very much to work with and become stereotypes, which stops you from forming any kind of attachment to them.

Overall, this is a very meh film there is worse out there and if you have nothing else to watch maybe give it a go, it will go exactly as you would expect it and end in the same fashion, it poses no challenge.

Pros.

It is watchable

There are a few funny moments

Cons.

The cast is wasted

The characters are cliches

The film is mostly not funny

1.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Binge: The New Fashion Trend Of The 2020-2021 Season Is To Remove And Then Draw On Your Eyebrows, Poorly

The Binge is a comedy film directed by Jeremy Garelick. The plot serves as a novel adaption of the Purge concept, however, rather than have all crime be legal for 12 hours this film imagines a world were drinking and doing drugs is totally illegal with the exception of one night a year where citizens around the world are allowed to binge drugs and alcohol to their hearts content.

This is the second film in my unintentional Vince Vaughn marathon, and I have to say Vaughn really shines here. Of course this film focuses on a group of high school boys who are planning to take full advantage of the binge whilst also being scared of it, continuing the traditions of its forbearers such as American Pie. However, Vaughn plays the principal of the school they all attend, his character is shown as very much anti-binge and he is also the father of Lena (Grace Van Dien), one of the main boy’s love interest. As a result of this Vaughn is set up for many of the best lines and is genuine hilarious multiple times over the course of the film, I especially enjoyed him as a father figure to Griffin (Skyler Gisondo), later in the film.

I also enjoyed the fact that this film was not afraid to get weird with its already terrific premise, there is a whole drug inspired dance number midway through the film that I thought was simply absurdist perfection.

The main and obvious criticism of this film is the same that can be levelled at numerous films in the sub-genre and that is the male focus, this film does not focus on both the male and female characters being rowdy, rather it uses the female characters almost as goals for the male characters or more aptly as plot devices. This is something that ‘sex comedy’ or the ‘teen’ film really needs to change as focusing on one gender over the over is reductive and it would be nice to see these sort of films start to explore both sides of the teen perspective.

Overall, if you like ‘teen’ comedies then you will like this, it has many funny moments mostly from Vaughn and has an inspired and humorous premise.

Pros.

The premise

Vaughn

It is funny

The absurdity

Cons.

Very male centric

4.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Freaky: Vince Vaughn Plays A Teenage Girl Surprisingly Well, Take Note Casting Agents

Freaky is a comedy horror film directed by Christopher Landon. The plot sees nerdy teen Millie (Kathryn Newton), swap bodies with deranged serial killer The Blissfield Butcher (Vince Vaughn), after a failed attempt on her life.

I will preface this review by saying that I am a huge, and I do mean huge, Happy Death Day fan and I went into this film with very high expectations as a result. Though this film does not live up to HDD it still has a lot of interesting moments and heartfelt scenes that make it worth the watch.

Landon’s blend of comedy and horror is once again on full display here and once again he knocks it out of the park, in a stylistic sense Landon is adapt at brining together horror and comedy to make the most out of each. The script as a whole is also reflective of Landon’s talents as I often found myself feeling something, there were emotional scenes such as the one between Vince Vaughn’s character (when possessed by Millie), and her love interest character that I thought were quite touching and sweet, on this regard the film is a triumph.

However, where the film loses marks from me is how the teen characters talk. The opening scene with the group of teens that all get butchered is one of the most cringe scenes I have seen all year, especially with the blond girl who seems to just be a written collection of feminist talking points; luckily for us all this scene is quickly ended, and we don’t meet those characters again. However, Millie’s friend Nyla (Celeste O’ Conner), is equally as poorly written as nearly everything she says feels alien to something a teen would say, though it does get better over the course of the film. This often times forced, awkward dialogue does ruin the film for me to some extent and proves that once again adults should not pretend to know how teens of today speak, as when they try and interpret it, it comes across as stilted.

Overall, an interesting film boosted by Landon’s sensibilities for the most part and from strong performances from Newton and Vaughn, however the dialogue is sometimes skin crawlingly cringe and that really lets the film down.

Pros.

Vaughn

Newton

The horror comedy combination

Interesting ideas and concepts

Cons.

The dialogue has some really bad moments

3.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Godmothered: Too Safe Even For Kids, Sickly

Godmothered is a family comedy film directed by Sharon Maguire. The plot sees trainee fairy godmother Eleanor (Jillian Bell), venture out in the mortal world to try and find a child that needs her and through whom she might restore a little faith in happily ever after thereby saving ‘The Motherland’. However, when she finds her new ward Mackenzie Walsh (Isla Fisher), she finds out that she is a bit older than she was expecting her to be.

This is off the same quality as Disney +’s other Christmas offering Noelle, which is to say it is poor quality, cheaply made, and overly safe. The latter of these three issue is proving to be a real issue with Disney +, I understand that as a streaming service they are targeting families but come on these are so market tested and safe that even a U (the lowest rating here in the UK), seems harsh. Furthermore, Bell’s comedic sensibilities feel restrained here, maybe it is because I am use to seeing her in more adult fare, but I did not find Bell’s character funny at all if anything I found her increasingly annoying over the course of the film.

Moreover, this film looks cheap, and considering the films budget that is very much the insult. A lot of the locations and things that happen in the film reflect this, the amount of magic, time in ‘The Motherland’ and CGI effects are all lowered and the amount of time we see with them just sat around in Mackenzie’s house or walking the street is upped. This is would expect from something that was a made for TV film, or maybe even direct to DVD, but not from Disney and thier premium steaming service.

Overall, it is more mass-produced slop being offered up by Disney to families to make a quick buck, there is no care or soul there and it shows.

Pros.

It is watchable

Cons.

Bell becomes annoying

The film looks cheap

It is confusing and poorly throughout

It is overly safe

1/5

Reviewed by Luke

Four Christmases: Just Tell Your Parents You Don’t Want To Go Home For Christmas, It Is Not Hard

Four Christmas is a Christmas comedy drama film directed by Seth Gordon. The plot sees a couple’s relationship be put to the test as they have to attend several different family Christmases.

Personally, I never viewed Vince Vaughn as a strong romantic lead. I think he is better suited to the arsehole anti hero roles, like Fred Claus, or the more action/drama orientated roles he has been getting recently, but for a while Hollywood really wanted him to be the next big romantic leading man.

Maybe I am reading this film with a 2020 viewpoint, but the romance narrative is deeply troubling here. Vaughn’s character is often a dick towards Witherspoon’s and yet he is never brought to task over it, she just passively allows him to treat her like dirt. Witherspoon’s character only moment of resistance is when she stands up to him because she wants kids and he seemingly doesn’t; the whole implication of this is deeply sexist. The message of the film is off.

Understanding that this film is supposed to be a comedy film makes it even worse, both in terms of the jokes and there implications, but also the fact of how deeply unfunny the film itself is. Usually Vaughn can make me laugh, but I didn’t laugh once here, moreover, I found the film to reliant on slapstick for its jokes which again didn’t land.

Overall, this is a failure as a comedy film and has a deeply troubling message underpinning the film that makes the ending feel bittersweet and ultimately leading to ruin.

Pros.

It is watchable

Cons.

Vaughn and Witherspoon have no chemistry

It rewards abusive behaviour

It has a deeply troublesome message

The ending is not deserved

It is not funny

0.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Man Who Invented Christmas: Lay Off The Hallucinogens Charlie

The Man Who Invented Christmas is a Christmas themed biographical drama film focusing on Charles Dickins (Dan Stevens) as he creates his classic Christmas novel A Christmas Carol, we see the trials and tribulations that lead to one of the best-selling books of all time.

I enjoyed the presentation of this film, I thought the blending of standard biopic elements and more out there fantasy elements, as he talks and interacts with his own characters, was quite an inspired choice as it allowed the film to feel fresh and not like just another biopic.

Stevens was serviceable in the role; he can convey both sides of Dickens as a character and does a good job of making the character seem whole and rounded rather than a caricature. He is the best of the cast, though that is not a tall order as a lot of the other actors are bland and forgettable.

I thought the film had pacing issues and included a number of side plots and other stories that should have been cut, I understand the film was trying to show the motivations and scars of Dickins himself, but they could have done it in a more concise and audience friendly way, as it stands certain parts are far too exposition heavy.

Overall, through the choice of how it presents its story and its characters this film feels slightly above the standard biopic and is enjoyable, however a mostly bland cast and a few pacing issues stop it of being great.

Pros.

The fantasy and reality aspects

Stevens

It feels like a well-considered Christmas film

Cons.

The wider cast are bland

It has pacing issues

It goes too far in trying to explain what drives Dickins and relies too heavily on exposition

2.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Chick Fight: Alec Baldwin Is The Drunk Fighting Instructor We All Need In Our Lives

Chick Fight is an action comedy directed by Paul Leyden. The plot follows Anna (Malin Akerman), a woman who’s life is going to the dogs, she is on the verge of being evicted, she can’t find a job and her love life is non-existent. However, one day she walks into an underground women’s fight club and a new chapter in her life begins.

This film is fine, nothing more nothing less. It is nothing that you haven’t seen before and of those films most are better. However, I also would not call this film bad, it is solidly watchable and some of the supporting performances are quite good.

With that in mind, I give props to Bella Throne for being quite a good antagonist here, you hate her, but at the same time you feel for her a little bit; her and Akerman have some entertaining scenes together. Alec Baldwin as Anna’s coach/trainer is also quite good, he plays the boozy old man who lives at the beach well, and I am really digging this phase of Baldwin’s career; he is also great in Pixie.

Akerman herself is a passable lead, though her role could be played by literally anyone.

Overall, it is an easy watch though it is a touch generic. Watch if you can’t find anything better.

Pros.

Throne and Baldwin

A few funny moments

It is very watchable

Cons.

Akerman doesn’t do much

It is very generic

2.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Bill: The Untold Story Of Shakespeare, When He Became A Spy

Bill is a historical comedy film directed by Richard Bracewell. The plot revolves around the early days of William Shakespeare (Matthew Baynton), as he tries to make it as a playwright. There is also a plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth 1^st (Helen McCrory), that Shakespeare gets wrapped up in and has to prevent.

The comedy here is a little more adult, than I would expect from the PG certificate. Right from the off I was surprised about the number of sex jokes in there, I don’t remember them being in Horrible Histories, that said I am not complaining about this fact I actually found it rather amusing and the film made me laugh several times.

The Horrible Histories trope are all put well to use here. Though I would say Martha Howe-Douglas was relegated to nothing more than the supporting wife role and I would have liked to see her have a larger and more important part, or really be able to take part in the fun assassination plotline.

Furthermore, though the film is fun, and a lot of that fun does originate from the narrative, it is definitely overstuffed. The film tries to do too many things, it tries to be a Shakespeare origin story of sorts, it tries to tell this international spy game intrigue plot line, and a few other odd twists and turns as well. Now I can’t fault there ambition with making the film so densely packed, but I can fault there execution as none of the elements came together in the way they should, and part of the film even felt a bit boring.

Pros.

It’s funny

It’s fun

The cast are great

Cons.

Howe-Douglas deserved more to do

There was far too much going in a narrative sense

3/5

Reviewed by Luke

My Christmas Inn: How Charming Is Small Town America? Really?

My Christmas Inn is a Christmas based romantic comedy directed by Peter Sullivan. The plot sees big city advertising executive Jen (Tia Mowry- Hardrict), head to a small Alaskan town to inherit her Great-Aunt’s inn. Naturally whilst there she falls in love and there is some needless conflict that resolves itself just in time for Christmas.

This is the last of the low rent Netflix-Hallmark made for TV Christmas romantic comedies that I will be reviewing. As I was writing that plot description I was getting flashbacks to many other similar holiday rom coms that I have reviewed recently, so with that in mind I am going to call it quits on this front after this review is done.

There is nothing good or bad about this film it is just incredibly bland. It is clear no care goes into these films and it seems like they have a check list of things to include. This includes the forced romance that feels incredibly unnatural and neither actor has any warmth even slightly towards the other let alone chemistry. As well as a needless crisis that could easily be resolved and is inserted into the film to try and give it some stakes, which it then fails at doing anything with.

Overall, there is nothing redeeming about this film. It can’t even be bold and bad it is just cookie cutter generic to fit in line with hundreds of other bland boring holiday romantic comedies, stay far away from this one.

Pros.

It is watchable, if tedious is your thing

Cons.

The romance doesn’t work

The feel-good elements don’t work

All of the actors involved in this can’t act

The drama feels shoehorned in

It will put you to sleep, it is borderline unwatchable

0.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Critters: Never Trust 80’s Pop Icons, They Are Never Who They Claim To Be

Critters is a science fiction horror film Stephen Herek. The plot sees furry alien invaders from another planet arrive on Earth, in small town America of course, and start wreaking havoc. It is down to the efforts of one plucky family, a collection of towns people and two alien bounty hunters to stop them.

So the writers of this film claim that the ideas for it originated well before Gremlins, and that any claim that Critters is inspired by Gremlins are inherently false. While I can’t claim knowledge on the subject I have to say while watching I couldn’t help but be reminded of Gremlins as the two films are very similar in a number of ways.

I enjoyed that this film was not afraid to embrace the campiness of the science fiction horror premise with the Critters themselves being somewhat tongue in cheek often cracking wise. It reminded of many B movies I have seen; it is strange, and it knows it and displays it proudly.

The premise is generic, it is your standard alien invader/ or monster takes over a town narrative that is no stranger to creature features. However, the plot takes a back seat here to the fun absurdity of the film as a whole. It is a blast to watch.

Overall, if you want a campy B movie like good time then this will please you. Don’t go in expecting too much and you will be pleasantly surprised.

Pros.

It is fun

I enjoyed the tongue in cheek parts

I liked that it embraced its inner freak

Cons.

The plot is weak, and you have seen it before

The acting is very meh

3/5

Reviewed by Luke