Director: Jon Turteltaub
Writer: Dan Fogelman
Cast: Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline, Mary Steenburgen
Cert: 12
Running time: 105mins
Year: 2012
The lowdown: Imagine you live in a perfect world where the Hangover sequels don’t exist. Last Vegas would be an amusing belated follow-up, without the pain of Zach Galifianakis’ ego-fuelled manchilding. Messrs. Douglas, De Niro, Freeman and Kline are the four lifelong friends off to LV for one last MIA weekend. The gags don’t creak too audibly, aided by the chemistry fizzing off the four leads. Double down and take a chance on this likeable chuckler.
The full verdict: Last Vegas looks like four Hollywood legends goofing off on their image. Which it is.
But, in these belt-tightening times, it’s also a good night for the whole family. The vintage leads have collectively generated enough goodwill to get mum and dad along. Their embarrassing dad antics will keep kids chuckling. And if the kids have kids, hey, it’s a certificate 12, so everyone can join the fun, (although bear in mind cert 12 does now mean blow job gags).
Billy (Douglas) is marrying a woman half his age (although she looks decidedly younger than Catherine Zeta-Jones, who was half Douglas’ age).
Before tying the knot he gets the childhood gang back together, namely Archie (Freeman), Sam (Kline) and Paddy (De Niro) to paint the golden city red one last time.
Problem is Paddy is feuding with the carefree Billy for a past wrong and the bad blood threatens to spill over the mild bunch’s good time.
Dan Fogelman’s script keeps the gags flowing nicely, with little requirement to push or sit down, while Douglas, De Niro, Freeman and Kline gamely send up their playboy/cantankerous/wise/wacky personae.
Mary Steenburgen’s lounge singer is on hand to play mother/provide romantic interest for the overgrown boys, while younger flesh is there to tempt the eye but there’s never any doubt the boys may look but won’t touch.
And if The Expendables can squeeze out a sequel, there’s no reason we couldn’t take another holiday with these guys. Just get Jack Nicholson along for the ride.
Rob Daniel
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