LAST VEGAS
US, 2013, 111 minutes, Colour.
Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline, Mary Steenburgen, Romany Malco, Roger Bart, Joanna Cassidy.
Directed by John Turtletaub.
There have been a number of films in recent years, especially from the United Kingdom, that are targeted to middle-aged and older audiences, especially women. These are the films that husbands accede to because of their wives’ choice. This is one where the wives may have to accede, enjoying the presence of the stars, perhaps, rather than enjoying the story and the macho behaviour. But they may enjoy some of the geriatric jokes at the expense of the men.
The premise is amusing enough. We are introduced to The Flatbush Four, a group of boys, friends from the old days (that is back in the 1950s), whose photos we see during the credits and whose exploits are dramatised in the film’s prologue, just to give us an idea of the kind of boys these characters used to be, somewhat tough, good friends, and two of them in love with the same girl. But here they are, as the film notes, 58 years later.
The smartest and the most financially successful of the four, Billy, played with suave confidence by Michael Douglas, has decided to get married, to his assistant who is 32 years younger than himself. He decides to have a bachelor party at Las Vegas and invites his friends. He phones each of them, who automatically think that a phone call from the others indicates prostate trouble or some other kind of health predicament. They decide to go. Kevin Kline is Sam, married for 40 years, going to health exercises with his wife, but the marriage having fallen flat. He wants to go for some excitement and his wife gives him a condom to take with him but does not want to know anything that might happen in Las Vegas. He phones Archie, Morgan Freeman, twice-divorced, having suffered some strokes, living with his son and his granddaughter. He also decides to go. But the problem is Paddy, who lives in New York, Robert De Niro, who is upset with Billy who did not attend his wife’s funeral when he expected him to as well as to give the eulogy. He does not want to go to Las Vegas and is not exactly happy when he finds out what it is all about.
The film spend some time in partying scenes, which are somewhat like the spring break kinds of capers, trying to pick up girls, judging a bikini beauty contest (which Robert De Niro does not really seem to be enjoying from the look on his face), doing some gambling (at which Archie is particularly successful), and, of course, the loud partying. Someone remarked that it looked like The Hangover for the elderly.
One of the more interesting aspects of the film is the story of the men encountering a lounge singer, Diana, a former lawyer, played very attractively and warmly by Mary Steenburgen. She befriends the group, and the screenplay arranges it that both Billy and Paddy are attracted to her, just as the two of them were attracted to Sophie when they were young and she had to choose. Actually, it is in these scenes that Robert De Niro comes more into his own, better at the dramatic side of things rather than the comic. Michael Douglas is able to handle both. And there is always the problem of whether he should be marrying the younger woman and whether he loves her or not. And there is that ambiguous issue of the condoms in Sam’s pocket, building up to a sequence where, as is so often in American films which raise sexual issues, edifying choices are made.
The film is fairly slight, intentionally so, though drawing for some strength on the friendships with Diana. Otherwise, it is a film or for extroverts who might identify with the elderly Flatbush Four – though the characters are all aged around 70 (which might make many of the audience think of their fathers or even grandfathers as they watch – and wonder).
1. A comedy for men? For older men? Fathers and grandfathers? Women’s responses?
2. The tradition of the Hangover films and Spring Break?
3. The title, the tone, old age – and farewelling Las Vegas and its style?
4. The credits, the boys, their photos, the prologue, at Flatbush, in the shop, the bully, Paddy and his punching? Billy being smart? Tough?
5. 58 years passing, Billy, his style, his wealth, his business, his attractive assistant, his decision to marry her? the phone calls, the planning of the party?
6. Each of the characters about 70 years old? Sam, in Florida, the exercises in the water, the old people almost unconscious, his wife enjoying the exercises? The invitation, his excitement, wanting to go, his wife giving him the condom, not wanting to know anything what happened? His reaction? Archie, with his son, the various strokes, his two divorces, his granddaughter, under the blanket in his clothes, escaping, the comedy of his leap from the window?
7. The two going to see Paddy, the widower, much more serious? Tough? The effect of the death of his wife? The photos? The neighbour with the soup and his treatment of her? The arrival of Sam and Archie, his suspicions, not wanting to go to Las Vegas? Their prevailing on him?
8. Las Vegas, the tone, the hotels, the casinos, the crowds, the streets, glitz and affluence? The musical score?
9. Paddy discovering the truth, resenting it, the truth about his marriage to Sophie, Billy and his wanting to marry Sophie? The later revelation of the truth, her going to Billy first, his urging her to go to Paddy?
10. The hotels, the gambling, the crowds, Archie at the tables, the men worried, yet his big wins, the expensive suite, Lonnie looking after them, being mistaken for Mafia types, the Flatbush Four? The lavish attention?
11. Diana, singing in the lounge, the small audience, her back story, lawyer, divorced, the daughter going through college, wanting to sing? The men attracted to her? Billy, her not being sure of him, the walks with Paddy, the talks? Paddy confiding in her? The songs, going to the walks, the situation of choice parallel to that of the boys with Sophie? Her telling Billy about the choice and Paddy overhearing? The effect on him?
12. The partying, the bikini contest and their acting as judges? Sam and picking up the girl at the party, with her, his willingness, his awareness of confiding everything to his wife, coming to his senses?
13. The young man, rude, their coming on heavy to him, his serving them, Archie and helping him after Paddy punched him? His help with their needs in the casino? The bond with the group?
14. Lonnie, his role in the casino, serving the group, the joke about Curtis Jackson, 50 Cents, the Jackson Five, Sam out of date? The comic appearance of Jackson and his being ignored by Lonnie?
15. Billy and his having to consider whether he loved his fiancee or not, the serious reflection, the advice of Paddy? Each pushing the other into the pool?
16. Street talk, Paddy and this decision about Diana, Billy and this decision, telling the girl, a reaction?
17. Their going back to the lounge, Diana singing, Billy and Diana together, Paddy going home, Sam in bed with his wife? Archie with his granddaughter?
