On DVD: What Happens in Vegas

If there's one phrase that is the single most backhanded compliment a movie reviewer can give, it is this: "It was better than it had any right to be." While I understand it, and on rare occasions I've used it myself, I really hate where it comes from. It is meant to say that something was genuinely good, despite the fact that the reviewer thinks that the genre could never be that entertaining, or that the film makers and cast couldn't possibly be talented enough to make it work -- you know, despite the fact that the reviewer liked it. And it is a phrase I REALLY want to use here. Because, despite the fact that I enjoyed What Happens in Vegas, despite the fact that it made me laugh repeatedly, despite the fact that I walked out with a smile on my face, I did not and still don't want to like this film. But I do.

Look, it stars Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz, two once-upon-a-time tabloid superstars who faded away from the limelight to the sound of the polite golf clap from those of us who were tired of their antics. I mean, The Evil Beet probably has fond memories of scandal after foible after gaffe from these two one-time A-listers, but now both of them are a TV Movie of the Week away from officially being called washed up. And here they are. Together. In a romantic comedy. Joy.

Trouble is, it is actually a smartly written romantic comedy with a solid supporting cast, and both Kutcher and Diaz perform admirably. And as one good turn deserves another, the DVD is very much like the movie -- a pleasant, unexpected surprise.

Unlike many DVDs which seem to cater to the armchair filmmakers or the film-obsessed, this package sets out to be fun -- to give you another hour or so of entertainment. I mean, really, who cares how the hell they made a Kutcher/Diaz comedy? Oh sure, they talk about that in the commentary. But since neither lead will ever be known for curing cancer or for being president of the local MENSA chapter, they were carefully kept off of the commentary track (much to the chagrin of our local evil DVD overlord Mark). Instead, Cameron and the Kutch get a 10-minute, obscenity-filled segment called "Sitting Down with Cameron and Ashton," in which I believe they were meant to talk about the movie. But nobody seems to have told them that, and they spend the time talking about hooking up and various guy/girl dating codes. What works about it is that the two clearly come across as friends, and it feels like a genuine conversation once they get over the off-camera coaching that seems to be trying to keep them on topic.

There are also special comedy bits by film stars Zach Galifianakis and Rob Corddry. Corddry gets a 3-minute commercial for his character's law firm, which is pretty damned funny. Anyone who has watched daytime television and seen these lame-ass ads for lawyers will enjoy watching the concept taken to the next level. Galifianakis is a different story. The guy wants to be this generation's Andy Kaufman and it is very hard for a lot of folks to enjoy his humor. He's a comedian's comedian and he's very experimental. Here he does an interview with the director and pretends not to know or understand anything the director is talking about -- up to and including knowing what Star Wars is. This segment isn't for everybody, but fans will LOVE it. Tack on a genuinely amusing gag reel and a few extended/deleted scenes which prove to be amusing if forgettable, and you have a package of fun that makes it worth sifting through.

What Happens in Vegas is available from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment now.

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