A re-imagining of The Hangover for the geriatric set? Sure, but much like Stand Up Guys, this is another movie whose entire reason for existence is to showcase formerly heavyweight actors condescending to, wink in their eye, settle for a lesser script. DeNiro, Douglas, Freeman, and Kline set out to demonstrate that no matter how stereotypical and trite the proceedings, they are surefire pros enough to overcome the pap with their established brand of charm. The worse the story gets, the bigger the challenge to rescue it.
In Last Vegas, it works only intermittently, and sparingly. Robert DeNiro, who seems to be trying to break a personal record for films released in a year and has now made four forgettable followups to his quality turn in Silver Linings Playbook, plays a grumpy widower shut-in. He’s the last of a set of old Brooklyn childhood pals to consent to a Hangover-type bachelor party trip to Vegas with pals Morgan Freeman and Kevin Kline. Seems he has this problem with lifelong bachelor and groom-to-be Michael Douglas since lifelong friend Douglas neglected to attend DeNiro’s wife’s funeral. Douglas is ready to marry a 30-ish woman who remains on the margins of the film, even though they’re in Vegas not just for the bachelor party but for the wedding.
In between various incontinence, hearing loss, and Viagra jokes, there’s a schmaltzy quasi-dramatic subplot involving bored but vivacious lounge singer Mary Steenburgen. She takes to the guys as soon as she lays eyes on them and wants to hang out. If you can figure out why she finds them so damn compelling and your answer is anything but plot facilitating, try again. Before we know it, there’s a triangle going on with Douglas and DeNiro competing for her. This eventually brings us around to the real reason Douglas didn’t attend the funeral.
Maybe these actors all need sufficient breathers in between more quality projects. After all Douglas, competent but absolutely familiar here, came right out of Stage Four cancer treatment with his excellent performance as Liberace in Behind The Candelabra. Before you go plunking down your cash on this or any other downtime projects these four guys release, however, here are a few suggestions. DeNiro? If you haven’t seen Mean Streets, do it now. Likewise for Douglas and the underrated Solitary Man, Kline: Grand Canyon, and Freeman: Seven.
Typical of the grating humor in Last Vegas is Kline’s continual reference to his wife having given him a free pass (along with a condom and a Viagra pill wrapped inside a greeting card) for some extracurricular activity while in Vegas. Despite Kline’s rather good comic timing, it all heads to an annoying redundancy topped off by a play-it-as-safe-as-possible result once Kline gets his prey behind closed doors. What are unconventional jokes along the way turn inside out to a pat moral seriousness once it’s time to marry the young girl, or in Kline’s case, make good on his wife’s offer. It’s back to the conventional, hey-we’re-only-kidding-here.
And four great actors have the last laugh all the way to the bank.