Last Vegas

When you have Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline and Robert DeNiro together, you know that you have to make a beeline to the nearest screen that is showing the movie.  Now this is a guaranteed formula for success because you know that whatever is written in the script, these guys will ensure that it doesn’t look bad even if the scriptwriter has tried is best to make it look horrible.

Luckily for us, Dan Fogelman (Cars, Cars 2, Tangled, Bolt) is a good scriptwriter.  He maintains his style that you may have seen in feature films (not animated) like Crazy Stupid Love.  So we have funny situations that are backed with a flavor of slapstick but for some reason, seem better than just tasteless one liners.  So now all John Turtletaub had to do was get the casting right and let the actors do their thing.

Billy (Michael Douglas), Paddy (Robert De Niro), Archie (Morgan Freeman) and Sam (Kevin Kline) are best of buddies since they were 6 years old somewhere in the 50s.  Now, 58 years later, Paddy is mourning the loss of his childhood sweetheart and wife.  Archie is divorced and struggling with a bad heart and is under house arrest.  Sam is totally in love with his wife of 40 years but has several replaced bones in his body.

Billy is a successful business man of sorts who has stayed single all these years.  He is nearly 70 and decides that the best time to get hitched is now.  So at a good friend’s funeral, he is giving a eulogy and suddenly decides to deviate from that and propose to his girlfriend.  The problem – Lisa (Bre Blair) is old enough to be his daughter – maybe even his granddaughter (I know I am stretching it).

The four friends decide to gang up for old time’s sake by giving a bachelor party to Billy.  And therefore the movie is titled on a thought that it could well be their Last party ever.  Ergo – Las(t) Vegas.  Corny as it may seem, that is what you are also in for in the movie. Don’t walk in expecting some stunning one liners that you will remember for the rest of your life.

Walk in expecting moments that you could associate with old men having a blast would do.  So you have Archie who gets lucky at the blackjack table and converts $15K to $100K+.  Their greatest party follows.  With the best suite in the house, pool parties galore, alcohol that is flowing all over the place – all building towards a concoction that is almost like Hangover meeting The Bucket List.

Last Vegas is a must watch for fans of these 4 brilliant actors of our time.  Go with an open mind.  Watch like it is your last movie and I can bet that you will enjoy it.  It isn’t the best work from these four by a country mile.  But it will bring a smile to your faces.  6 on 10 is my verdict.  Make it a part of your weekend.

Watch the trailer on http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3383666713/?ref_=tt_ov_vi