The concept of the film “Last Vegas” is a simple one. It is a comedy about four old friends, Sam (Kevin Kline, “A Fish Called Wanda”), Archie (Morgan Freeman, “Driving Miss Daisy”) and the ever-grumpy Paddy (Robert DeNiro, “Taxi Driver”) who go to Las Vegas for their good friend Billy’s (Michael Douglas, “Solitary Man”) bachelor party. When they arrive, they show up at the wrong hotel, but happen to meet Diana (Mary Steenburger, “Step Brothers”) a local singer, with whom Paddy and Billy both become enamored. The film revolves around Diana and all of the shenanigans these old men get into in Las Vegas.
As far as comedies go, “Last Vegas” certainly is not the most excellent movie, but it could be a lot worse. As one could expect, the acting is good. Each of the four main actors has won an Academy Award, so it can not be expected to be bad. Although all of the acting was funny, Kevin Kline and Morgan Freeman seem to steal the show, as opposed to the more serious performances from DeNiro and Douglas.
What is disappointing is that it feels like all the main characters are extensions of the actors themselves. DeNiro’s character, Paddy, is the same grumpy old man he plays in almost all his movies. It feels like DeNiro just being DeNiro for the whole film. Douglas’ character is also very similar to the character he played in the 2009 film “Solitary Man:” the character of a wealthy older man, who fills his time chasing younger women.
As fun as “Last Vegas” is, it feels like the film went in far too many directions. The film has many scenes designed to make viewers feel sympathy for characters, but most of them just feel out of place. The film tries to squeeze in too much for its hour and a half length. In many comedies, there is conflict between the characters, or misfortune befalls one of them. This is often to give the character more soul and to make the viewers like them more. “Last Vegas” tries to do that, but it just does not work. This should not deter viewers from enjoying the comedic scenes, though. Another odd part of the film is the rating. It is rated PG-13, but this feels like a stretch. It might have done better if filmmakers tried to make the movie family friendly, or went all out for an R rating. It treads an odd line somewhere in between.
All this being said, “Last Vegas” is a good comedy. It is funny. The dramatic parts of the movie aren’t good, but the comedic aspects are. Viewers will get a kick out of seeing four old men running around in Las Vegas. It is not as good as “The Hangover,” but “Last Vegas” is geared towards an older audience who will appreciate the humor in this movie. Do not go in expecting incredible acting and fantastic plot, but if viewers go in expecting to laugh, then they will enjoy it.
