WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS (Rated PG-13)

The new “Indiana Jones” movie can’t arrive soon enough. Lately, I have seen more than my share of romantic comedies, which has not necessarily been a bad thing. For instance, new films coming out now include “What Happens in Vegas” and “Speed Racer.” The latter film, a glossy mix of animation and live-action, is geared to a younger audience. On the other hand, “What Happens in Vegas” takes full comedic advantage of Sin City’s marketing campaign, turning the famous slogan on its ear.

Gleeful debauchery and insane indulgence aside, some things just don’t stay behind in Vegas, particularly when a marriage ceremony at a tawdry wedding chapel carries the full weight of a binding legal entanglement.

Unfortunate circumstances bring two very unlikely people together in miserable matrimony. But first, “What Happens in Vegas” introduces the two central characters who decide for vastly different reasons to vacation in Vegas.

Jack Fuller (Ashton Kutcher) is the ultimate slacker and party dude who is fired by his own father (Treat Williams) from the family’s furniture manufacturing. His polar opposite is Joy McNally (Cameron Diaz), a buttoned-up commodities trader on Wall Street, who gets dumped by her fiance at her own surprise birthday party.

In a coincidence that only happens in the movies, Jack takes his best buddy Steve “Hater” Hader (Rob Corddry) on the trip, where they check into a Vegas hotel only to find that the room is already occupied by Joy and her best friend Tipper (Lake Bell). After resolving this unhappy arrangement, Jack and Steve convince the two girls to go out for a night on the town, which is facilitated by the concierge’s eagerness to comp their festivities.

This quartet of partygoers is a mismatched group for many reasons. A second-rate lawyer, Steve fancies himself a ladies man, even if his charisma barely surpasses that of a serial killer. His obnoxious behavior finds its equal in Tipper’s unrelenting hostility. The rowdy weekend becomes a random blur of frantic activity lubricated by massive amounts of alcohol. When the dust settles in the early morning, Joy and Jack painfully discover they tied the knot in a ceremony witnessed by drunken revelers.

Before the two vacationing New Yorkers can figure out how to quickly dissolve their union, Jack uses Joy’s last quarter to play a slot machine which incredibly pays out a cool $3 million. Now an impending marital split will be complicated by sizable community assets.

Back in Manhattan, a cranky judge (Dennis Miller) decides to sentence the bickering pair to “six months of hard marriage.” By freezing the prize booty, the judge forces the irresponsible couple to prove that they done everything possible to make the impromptu marriage work. The first one to fail in this mission will lose all the loot to the other.

Since Joy has to move into Jack’s messy bachelor pad, it’s going to be a very trying battle of the sexes. Not surprisingly, Jack and Joy will do their best to sabotage the other, and of course, their friends Steve and Tipper will become willing and supportive combatants on each side. They even have to attend marriage counseling with Queen Latifah. But many tricks are employed to undermine the marriage. Joy rounds up a bevy of beautiful women in order to lead Jack astray at a party. Jack tries to get her snooty ex-fiance Mason (Jason Sudeikis) to woo her again.

“What Happens in Vegas” thrives on the formulaic approach to romantic comedy. Very little happens that is unexpected or terribly surprising, but nevertheless there are plenty of laughs. While Joy is trying hard to move up the corporate ladder, it is the laid-back Jack who manages to impress her demanding boss (Dennis Farina) on a company retreat. Is it any wonder where these mismatched lovebirds will end up? Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz have the right chemistry for their respective roles of wayward slacker and uptight professional.

DVD RELEASE UPDATE

I think I mentioned last week that the weird stuff ends up on DVDs. If you liked horror comedies such as “Shaun of the Dead” and “An American Werewolf in London,” then “Botched” could be your cup of tea.

Gore and violence run rampant, but much of it is so over-the-top that it seems calculated to induce laughs, at least the nervous kind.

Stephen Dorff stars as two-bit professional thief sent to Russia to steal a priceless antique cross locked in a safe on the penthouse floor of a Moscow skyscraper. During the heist, Dorff and his thuggish Russian henchmen are trapped by the police and forced to take hostages.

Unfortunately for them, they seek refuge on the 13th floor, where things get really dicey. Decapitations and impalements are just part of the fun. “Botched” may be destined for cult status.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

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