Not familiar with the name?
Billingsley is the guy who played Ralphie in the classic "A Christmas Story." It's good to see he hasn't shot his eye out yet.
Billingsley befriended stars Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau when they first came to Hollywood, and after years of producing, he decided to make the leap to feature film directing.
It's too bad Billingsley decided to make his directorial debut with "Couples Retreat," as the script (by Vaughn and Favreau) is all over the place, and the movie contains scenes that don't do anything to further the plot.
"Couples Retreat" follows four Midwestern couples who embark on a journey to a tropical island resort. One couple wants to work on its marriage while the others take off to jet ski and enjoy some fun in the sun.
Fun aside, they soon discover that participation in the resort's couples therapy sessions isn't optional.
Suddenly, their group-rate vacation comes at a price.
Vaughn and Favreau are paired with Malin Ackerman and Kristin Davis, respectively. Jason Bateman and Kristen Bell play the couple that convinces the others to join them in Hawaii in order to save their marriage.
Faizon Love plays a newly-divorced man who brings his younger girlfriend, who is played by Kali Hawk.
Despite this talented cast, they have nothing to do with their characters. None of them feels real, except maybe Ackerman and Vaughn in their roles as a man and woman in a somewhat believable relationship.
There are a few funny moments, but they are few and far between. By the time the "Guitar Hero" showdown climax rolled around, I was ready to leave the theater.
The premise and the trailers showed promise, but by the time the film ends, you want to retreat to see a different movie.
2 buckets.
