Movie Review: Last Vegas

It’s been awhile since I’ve had the chance to review a new movie out.  I am happy that this is the film I’m getting to review.  The movie is about four friends who’ve grown up and now reuniting in Vegas for a bachelor party.  A comedy with a underline story of friendship.  Here is my review of the movie “Last Vegas”.

The movie starts off with this awesome view of friends as children.  We get to see a moment in their life, where they were all together with a female friend.  They stood up to a bully and took off excited about how that went.  As things fade and shows us years later, the four men are now adults.  Living in different areas.  We get a peek into each of their lives, and how most of them are not happy with what is going on with their life now.  Though Billy (Michael Douglas) is enjoying life, with a girlfriend half his age.  When he proposes to his young girlfriend, his friends are shocked though insist that they throw a bachelor party.

We learn that there is stress between Billy and Paddy (Robert De Niro).  Cold feelings going on for a year since Paddy’s wife passed away.  Their friends Archie (Morgan Freeman) and Sam (Kevin Kline) keep the comedy rolling in the film as they want their friends to make up and enjoy the weekend.  We watch as these four men hit Vegas in their own style and learn about each of their home problems.  The comedy balances out the deep story going between Billy and Paddy helping make this movie very enjoyable. 

The added addition to the boy’s friends are Diana (Mary Steenburgen), Lonnie (Romany Malco), and Dean (Jerry Ferrara).  Each play a role to the film that helps ensure more laughs as they keep the story moving along.  Diana is a singer who catches the attention the boys when they first come to Vegas, she helps show them around.  Lonnie works at the hotel that they wind up getting their room at, he’s to take care of their needs.  Dean is just a young man in the wrong place at the right time, finding himself helping the guys whenever they call upon him.  Together this cast of characters play off of each other very well.

I went to “Last Vegas” without seeing one trailer for the movie.  I was just told it was a bachelor party in Vegas.  Of course all I could think of was “The Hang Over” first movie.  Though this movie is much different than Hang Over.  These are friends who grew up together, who know just about everything about each of them.  They do crazy stuff, not because they were so high they won’t remember it, but for the sake of feeling alive again.  The comedy we see here is based on real emotions and mistakes that can happen.  Bringing “Last Vegas” to it’s own level of entertainment and not to be compared to “Hang Over”.

Written by Dan Fogelman, a writer who’s worked on some other films that I’ve enjoyed including “Bolt” and “Cars”.  “Bolt” is one of my favorite Disney movies, another film where character growth helps make the movie come alive.  The Director was able to take Dan’s script for “Last Vegas” and breath that life into the cast and crew, his name is Jon Turteltaub.  Jon worked on some films I remember from long ago like “While you were sleeping” and he’s behind the “National Treasure” movies.

I recommend “Last Vegas” to anyone who enjoys a fun comedy with a story.  You get to care for and know all of the lead characters, and enjoy the personalities of some of the side characters.  If I was to choose a favorite character in this film, it would be a hard toss up between Archie and Sam, though I love Paddy’s story.  So a favorite character would really be hard to choose.   The crowd was filled with laughter and there was not one sore face of anyone disappointed with the film once leaving the theater. 

Have you seen “Last Vegas”?  Let us know your thoughts on this film, who was your favorite character?  Please share reviews, comments and questions below.