When I was asked to see and review LAST VEGAS, I expected the worst. I expected a sexagenarian version of THE HANGOVER, and its many useless sequels, starring a bunch of great actors who had long ago ceased to produce meaningful work. In fact, Morgan Freeman’s positive batting average in recent times almost singled him out as “too good” for what was certain to be a dumb comedy and a losing bet under the direction of Jon Turteltaub, whose contributions to cinema have ranged from silly (the NATIONAL TREASURE films) to godawful (INSTINCT). Even more daunting was the notion of sitting through another project written by Dan Fogelman, whose screenplay for the enjoyable CRAZY, STUPID LOVE was a lone speed bump in a career paved with suck. Maybe it’s because I went in with such low expectations, but I am pleased–and indeed shocked–to report that it’s actually really good.
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LAST VEGAS is the story of childhood friends–the self-styled “Brooklyn Four”–all pushing 70, and wrestling with the consequences of getting older. Archie (Morgan Freeman) is a grandfather who survived a stroke and is suffocating under the care of his obsessively concerned son; Sam (Kevin Kline) is living in a Florida retirement community, and has lost the fire in his marriage; Paddy (Robert De Niro) is a widower whose life revolves around bathrobes, soup, and negativity; and Billy (Michael Douglas) is a wealthy businessman who denies his age by living the high life and chasing young, beautiful women. A once tight-knit crew, the boys haven’t seen one another since the funeral of Paddy’s wife–an event Billy did not attend, generating an ocean of bad blood with Paddy. So, when Billy proposes to his 30-something girlfriend and invites the gang to the wedding in Las Vegas, getting there presents unique challenges for each, and the outcome of their big Vegas weekend seems uncertain. But a game of blackjack, and a chance encounter in Binion’s with lounge singer Diana (Mary Steenburgen), put a different spin on their big Sin City adventure.
LAST VEGAS could easily have been wall-to-wall “old” jokes at the expense of its main characters, and while it gets a lot of mileage out of fish-out-of-water humor–and admittedly shoehorns in a couple of tasteless “old ladies in bathing suits” gags–it treats Billy, Paddy, Archie, Sam and Diana with a depth and dignity that probably couldn’t have happened without such a strong and seasoned cast on the bill. And the chemistry between this collection of fine actors is off the chart. Morgan Freeman brings his trademark warmth and humanity, while Kevin Kline’s charm and comedic craftsmanship remind us why he’s a true actor’s actor, and that we really need to see more of him. Watching those two play off of one another in ridiculous scenarios, without ever once going over-the-top or engaging in the kind of lowbrow humor that seems to be in every other comedy, is refreshing and inspiring, and I hope the younger actors on the set were taking notes from a two genuine masters on how one grounds a comedic role and makes it emotionally compelling.
De Niro and Douglas–both of whom seem more alive here than they have since the ’90s–bring surprising dramatic tension to Paddy’s and Billy’s troubled friendship. It’s now too easy to forget that these are the men who played Jake LaMotta and Gordon Gekko, two of the most iconic performances in the history of cinema. Paddy and Billy will never be considered among their best work, but their combined experience as megastars who have been “aged” out of big budget Hollywood star vehicles lends an unexpected authenticity to these two old friends fighting to hold onto their vitality. They’re the same men they always were, but while the world stops for no one, we must all remind ourselves that we never run out of things to offer the world we choose to live in. And, much praise should be given to Mary Steenburgen. In a role that would likely be played as the mythic “manic pixie dream girl” by a younger actress in a younger film, she infuses Diana–a divorced mother who has worked to rebuild the life she wants–with an earthiness and earned wisdom that shocks these squabbling boys back into manhood, without ever feeling like a plot device. And, like her male counterparts, she’s someone that you may actually know in your life.
And that’s where the movie really succeeds. It delivers its fair share of silliness, and it could have gone for the cheap laughs and called it a day. But these are people we all know, and people that we will all become; we have no say in the matter. And they’re dealing with real issues that go beyond those that come with old age. LAST VEGAS touches on boundless subjects like depression, loneliness, friendship, forgiveness, trust, honesty, fidelity and love, with a gentleness and human decency uncommon in most modern comedies. And, it’s just plain funny. If you’re as burned out on empty, mean-spirited, barely-scripted comedies as I am, take a weekend trip to Vegas with the Brooklyn Four. source:http://thisisinfamous.com/last-vegas-movie-review-a-heartfelt-sin-city-romp-that-comes-up-aces-says-john-shade-vick/
