Flying Bee at 03:37, 12 August 2021

2021-08-12T03:37:04Z

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{{short description|2009 film by Peter Billingsley}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Couples Retreat
| image = Couples retreat.jpg
| alt = 
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Peter Billingsley]]
| writer = [[Jon Favreau]] [[Vince Vaughn]] [[Dana Fox]]
| producer = [[Scott Stuber]] Vince Vaughn
| starring = {{Plain list |
* Vince Vaughn
* [[Jason Bateman]]
* Jon Favreau
* [[Faizon Love]]
* [[Kristin Davis]]
* [[Malin Åkerman]]
* [[Kristen Bell]]
* [[Jean Reno]]
}}
| cinematography = Eric Edwards
| editing = Dan Lebental [[Pietro Scalia]]
| music = [[A. R. Rahman]]
| studio = [[Relativity Media]] [[Scott Stuber|Stuber Productions]] Wild West Picture Show
| distributor = [[Universal Pictures]]
| released = {{Film date|2009|10|09}}
| runtime = 113 minutes 
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget = $60 million<ref>{{cite news | url = http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2009/10/movie-projector-couples-retreat-could-bring-much-needed-good-news-to-universal.html | title = Movie projector: 'Couples Retreat' could bring Universal much needed good news | newspaper = [[Los Angeles Times]] | date = 2009-10-08 }}</ref><ref name="numbers" />
| gross = $171.8 million<ref name="numbers">{{cite web | url = http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2009/CPLRT.php | title = Movie Couples Retreat – Box Office Data | publisher = The-Numbers | access-date = 2011-09-06 }}</ref><ref name="mojo" />
}}

'''''Couples Retreat''''' is a 2009 American [[Romance film|romantic]] [[comedy film]] directed by [[Peter Billingsley]] marking his directorial debut, and written by [[Jon Favreau]], [[Vince Vaughn]], and [[Dana Fox]]. Vaughn and Favreau star with [[Jason Bateman]], [[Faizon Love]], [[Kristin Davis]], [[Malin Åkerman]], [[Kristen Bell]], and [[Jean Reno]]. It was released on October 9, 2009, in the United States. The film was shot mostly on the [[French Polynesia]]n island of [[Bora Bora]].

== Plot ==
Dave, a dealer for [[Guitar Hero]], and Ronnie, a stay-at-home mom, are a typical couple raising two young children in the suburbs of Chicago. They experience various stresses including redecorating their house and raising their kids. Joey and Lucy are high school sweethearts with a smart but naive teenage daughter named Lacey. Their relationship is on the rocks and they are even considering a divorce once Lacey goes off to college. Jason and Cynthia are a neurotic couple who've experienced multiple failed attempts to conceive, and Shane, recently separated (but not legally and officially divorced), has a much younger girlfriend, Trudy.

At Dave's son's birthday party, Jason and Cynthia, using a PowerPoint presentation, announce their troubled marriage and are considering divorce as they cannot have a baby. As a last-ditch effort, they have found a couples therapy resort named Eden. A deal called the Pelican Package is half the normal cost if they can get three other couples to join them. In their presentation, they show photos of sunlit beaches and beautiful locations. They assure the others that the couples therapy is purely optional.

Dave and Ronnie insist they can't go because of their children, declining the trip. In the middle of the night, Jason sets off their alarm to try to sell the idea of the retreat. The commotion wakes the kids, who overheard their parents' conversations of not being able to go because of them. Fearing their parents are contemplating divorce, the kids have already arranged for Dave's father, Grandpa Jim-Jim to babysit so their parents can go to Eden.

The retreat proves to be divided into Eden West and Eden East. West is for couples and uses the tagline "Stay Together". East is for singles and uses the tagline "Come Together". East and West attendees are not allowed to intermingle.

Upon arrival at Eden West, the four couples are shown their villas. At dinner, resort host Sctanley informs them 6 a.m.couples therapy, is mandatory. If any couple fails to attend, it will be taken as an indication that they want to leave, and a refund for Eden will be given, although not for their airfare. The group debates what to do. After an indulgent dinner with many delicacies, they decide to put up with "a couple of hours" of therapy in order to enjoy the other amenities of the resort.

In the morning, each couple meets with an assigned therapist. All four couples are told they have problems, even Ronnie and Dave, who thought they were fine. They endure resort owner Marcel's unusual methods, including swimming with and feeding [[lemon shark]]s and yoga sessions with amorous instructor Salvadore.

On the fourth night, Trudy escapes to Eden East. The other seven, encouraged by Joey, leave to find her. After Cynthia and Jason argue, the men and women split up. As they try to find their way to the resort, the men end up arguing and pointing out each other's marriage mistakes.

The women run into Salvadore who takes them to Eden East. The men find the staff lounge where they find Sctanley playing Guitar Hero. He threatens to report them to Marcel, but Dave challenges him to the game (without telling Sctanley that he has helped produce the game). Sctanley, after losing the wager, directs them to Eden East, even though he knows he was tricked by Dave.

When they arrive, Dave realizes what a good thing he has with Ronnie. He goes with her to be alone at a waterfall. Joey finds Lucy with Salvadore and knocks him out, reuniting with her. Cynthia and Jason share drinks and end up becoming intimate. Shane runs into his ex-wife, who admits she still loves him. Shane tells Trudy to remain in Eden East and enjoy being single, then leaves with his ex-wife. All four couples return to Eden West.

== Cast ==
* [[Vince Vaughn]] and [[Malin Åkerman]] as Dave and Ronnie, a typical suburban couple with two children. Their marriage seems fine, but both realize that Dave tends to undermine Ronnie by crossing emotional boundaries and blocking her needs due to his exhausting work. At the conclusion of their therapy, Marcel grants them the [[Asinus|ass]] as their animal spirit because they are both stubborn, and they bear the burden of not only their troubles but also those of others.
* [[Jon Favreau]] and [[Kristin Davis]] as Joey and Lucy Tanzini, high school sweethearts that have fallen apart due to their belief that they "missed out" on living after high school, having been married and becoming parents immediately after and are contemplating getting a divorce as soon as their daughter goes off to college. They have a daughter named Lacey who is a smart but somewhat rebellious teen. After reuniting in therapy, Marcel gives them a [[wolf]] spirit token as they are pack animals but their hearts always lie with their destined mate.
* [[Jason Bateman]] and [[Kristen Bell]] as Jason and Cynthia Smith, a troubled couple whose idea it was to go to Eden with their friends. Their issues stem from a lack of communication complicated with Jason's more controlling methods and their trouble with conceiving a baby. They are a very organized couple and are the most interested in repairing their relationship. Marcel grants them a [[rabbit]] token after they reunite, due to their innate ability to overcome any obstacles that stand in their way.
* [[Faizon Love]] and [[Kali Hawk]] as Shane and Trudy, a completely polar opposite couple. Trudy and Shane soon tire of each other due to their differences in age and interests. Trudy goes off to the local single scene, and while attempting to find her and bring her back, Shane and his wife Jennifer reconcile instead. They are given the token of the [[honeybee]] to symbolize that while they may visit other flowers from time to time, nothing is as sweet as returning to their hive.
* [[Jean Reno]] as Marcel, the lead therapist, founder and operator of the resort
* [[Peter Serafinowicz]] as Sctanley (pronounced Stanley, with a silent "c"), the English manager of the resort who oversees the couples' stay and was the original scoring champion of ''Guitar Hero'' on the island. (Vaughn’s DVD commentary explains the silent "c" as simple fun)
* [[Tasha Smith]] as Jennifer, ex-wife of Shane
* Jonna Walsh as Lacey Tanzini
* [[Ken Jeong]] as Wardo, the therapist of Jason and Cynthia
* [[Amy Hill]] as Jean, the therapist of Shane and Trudy
* [[John Michael Higgins]] as Robert John, the therapist of Dave and Ronnie
* [[Carlos Ponce]] as Salvadore, the yoga instructor
* [[Temuera Morrison]] as Briggs, the native assistant to Marcel - his name is misspelt as Temeura in the opening credits
* [[Karen David]] as Spa Attendant

Vince Vaughn's real-life father, Vernon Vaughn, plays his on-screen father.

== Production ==

=== Filming locations ===
The primary location for filming was at the St. Regis Bora Bora Resort, [[Bora Bora]] in [[French Polynesia]].<ref>Can be seen from film credits and the official St. Regis Bora Bora website.</ref>{{Citation needed|date=December 2009}} Other filming locations include Los Angeles, Universal Studios and O'Hare International Airport.

=== Marketing ===
Universal Pictures was criticized for removing actors Faizon Love and Kali Hawk from the international posters for the film, showing only six rather than the eight cast members used for the U.S. promotional materials. The studio said it regretted causing offense and has abandoned plans to use the revised poster in other countries.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/the_big_picture/2009/11/universals-new-black-eye-africanamerican-actors-disappear-from-couples-retreat-poster.html | work=The Los Angeles Times | title=The Big Picture | date=2009-11-17}}</ref> In 2020 Faizon Love filed a lawsuit accusing Universal of race discrimination and [[Whitewashing in film|whitewashing]] for continued use of the offending poster.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Maddaus|first=Gene|date=2020-11-25|title=Faizon Love Files Race Discrimination Suit Over 'Couples Retreat' Poster|url=https://variety.com/2020/film/news/faizon-love-couples-retreat-discrimination-lawsuit-1234839701/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-04-04|website=Variety|language=en-US}}</ref>

Universal Pictures partnered with various groups for financial support to help market the film. Sponsors include the Tourism Board of Tahiti where the film was made, the manufacturers of [[Bud Light]] and [[Captain Morgan's]] Rum, [[Bloomingdale's]] department store, and Crunch Gyms. The video game ''[[Guitar Hero]]'' is also prominently featured in the film.

== Reception ==
=== Box office ===
The film was a box office success, ranking first for its opening weekend grossing $34,286,740 and becoming Vince Vaughn's highest box office success since 2006's ''[[The Break-Up]]''. The film grossed $109.2 million domestically and $58.8 million in other markets for a worldwide total of $171 million.<ref name="mojo">{{cite web
| url = http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=couplesretreat.htm
| title = Couples Retreat (2009) Box Office
| website = [[Box Office Mojo]]
| access-date = 2011-09-06
}}
</ref>

=== Critical reviews===
''Couples Retreat'' received generally negative reviews. On [[Rotten Tomatoes]] the film has an approval rating of 10% based on 164 reviews with an average rating of 3.80/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Despite a talented cast and some reliably pleasant interplay between Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn, ''Couples Retreat'' leaves viewers stranded in an arid, mirthless comedy."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/couples_retreat/ |title=Couples Retreat (2009) |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date=March 1, 2021 }}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film has a score of 23 out of 100 based on reviews from 27 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/couples-retreat |title= Couples Retreat reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=March 1, 2021 }}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale.<ref name="CinemaScore">{{cite web |url= https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |title= Cinemascore |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |archive-date= 2018-12-20 |access-date= 2019-07-20 }}</ref>

[[Roger Ebert]] gave the film 2 out of 4 stars. He criticized the formulaic story and lack of character specifics, but says "Vaughn's well-timed and smart dialogue" is one of the better parts of the film.<ref>{{cite web |date= October 7, 2009 |last= Ebert |first= Roger |author-link= Roger Ebert |title= Not exactly a retreat, more like a surrender |url= https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/couples-retreat-2009 |website=RogerEbert.com }}</ref>
[[James Berardinelli]] wrote: "Despite being mediocre and largely forgettable, Couples Retreat is not unpleasant, although it's easier to recommend it for home viewing than for a trip to a theater."<ref>{{cite web |date= October 8, 2009 |last1= Berardinelli |first1= James |author-link1= James Berardinelli |title= Couples Retreat |url= http://www.reelviews.net/reelviews/couples-retreat |website= Reelviews Movie Reviews }}</ref> Dennis Harvey of ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety magazine]]'' wrote: "Film has some bright ideas and an appealing cast that only fly so high due to pedestrian execution."<ref>{{cite web |date= 7 October 2009 |last1= Harvey |first1= Dennis |title= Couples Retreat |url= https://variety.com/2009/film/reviews/couples-retreat-1200476956/ |website= [[Variety (magazine)|Variety magazine]] }}</ref> Claudia Puig of ''[[USA Today]]'' described it as "Tedious, unromantic, sophomoric and only sporadically funny."<ref>{{cite web |date= October 8, 2009 |author1=Claudia Puig |author-link1=Claudia Puig |title='Couples Retreat': Run away, fast - USATODAY.com |url= https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/movies/reviews/2009-10-08-couples-retreat_N.htm |website= [[USA Today]] }}</ref>

===Lawsuit===
A former model Irina Krupnik, filed a $10 million misappropriation-of-likeness [[Privacy laws of the United States|invasion-of-privacy]] [[lawsuit]], naming several [[defendants]] including the producers of ''Couples Retreat'' arising from a purported [[masturbation]] scene in which actor Jon Favreau uses a photo of her.<ref>{{cite web
| date = 12 March 2010
| author = MARY KATHRYN BURKE
| title = ''Former Model Sues NBC Universal Over 'Couples Retreat'.''
| url = https://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/model-sues-nbc-universal-couples-retreat/story?id=10086323
| work = [[ABC News]]
| access-date = 2010-10-30
}}</ref> Manhattan Supreme Court Judge O. Peter Sherwood ruled against Krupnik, and she received nothing.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://jonathanturley.org/2010/07/13/former-bikini-model-loses-tort-claim-over-use-of-photo-in-movie/ |title=Former Bikini Model Loses Tort Claim Over Use of Photo in Movie |publisher=Jonathan Turley |access-date=2013-04-11 }}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|http://www.couplesretreatmovie.com}}
* {{IMDb title|1078940}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20091009031700/http://blogs.amctv.com/movie-news/2009/10/video-opening-night-couples-retreat.php Video Interview With Vaughn, Favreau, Bell and Reno] at AMCtv.com

{{Scott Stuber}}
{{Peter Billingsley}}

[[Category:2009 romantic comedy films]]
[[Category:2009 films]]
[[Category:2000s sex comedy films]]
[[Category:American films]]
[[Category:American romantic comedy films]]
[[Category:American sex comedy films]]
[[Category:2009 directorial debut films]]
[[Category:Films scored by A. R. Rahman]]
[[Category:Films about dysfunctional families]]
[[Category:Films about marriage]]
[[Category:Films directed by Peter Billingsley]]
[[Category:Films produced by Scott Stuber]]
[[Category:Films set on beaches]]
[[Category:Films shot in Bora Bora]]
[[Category:Films shot in French Polynesia]]
[[Category:Relativity Media films]]
[[Category:Universal Pictures films]]
[[Category:Works involved in a lawsuit]]

Couples Retreat - Revision history

Flying Bee at 03:37, 12 August 2021