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Reagen Sulewski: I didn't think they were brilliant ads or anything, but the guy who cut the trailer for this probably deserves some kind of medal, as he apparently mined every ounce of comedy out of this film for the commercials. I'd admit I was taken by surprise by the bad reviews, as everything I'd seen up until a couple of days before release made me think this was going to be a solid, if unspectacular couples comedy, and not Ishtar with yoga. It's like a case study of how to hide the fact that your movie sucks. It also doesn't hurt that people are willing to give Vince Vaughn the benefit of the doubt in films like this.

David Mumpower: Every time I saw a commercial for Couples Retreat, my expectations for it diminished a bit more. The fact that they were ubiquitous had me expecting a mid-teens opening for one of the least funny looking comedies in recent memory. This success is like Beverly Hills Chihuahua in terms of "HOW???" performances. Like everyone else, I love the cast here, but my love has limits. A dude in a shiny banana hammock face-sitting on a recovering child actor is beyond said limits. There is a fine line between this scene and that soft-core porno Dana Plato did right before she overdosed.

Couples Camp, Couples Big Day Out, Couples on a Train...

Kim Hollis: Do you expect to see a lot more films in this vein, where half a dozen or so relatively established comedians and attractive actresses are thrown into a broad comedy?

Josh Spiegel: I don't think that Couples Retreat is going to start some wild trend; frankly, the movie is just a continuation of the trend, only there are far fewer films that fit the qualifications. Going all the way back to the 1960s, to movies such as It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World, big-budget comedies with big stars aren't too out of the ordinary. However, it may fit Vince Vaughn's future well to stick with these types of movies; Four Christmases was similar, in that there was a huge cast surrounding him. Maybe it's best for him to be part of a larger ensemble.





Pete Kilmer: I totally agree with what Josh says in that Vaughn made a very successful career by doing that when he came back to comedy with Old School, Wedding Crashers and Dodgeball. I think we'll continue to see him do this. He really plays well off others and it shows.

Jim Van Nest: Honestly, Vaughn can't be but two summers away from his starring role in some sort of cross-country car race movie.

Michael Lynderey: Well, there's Valentine's Day (coming out you-know-when), where it looks like they've got three dozen or so actors of all types strewn together. It's a fairly old Hollywood tradition to sell movies based on a laundry list of stars, but you have to have just the right balance. That said, I frankly don't expect it to become any bigger a trend than it already is (i.e. He's Just Not That Into You, Ocean's Eleven, and so on).

Jason Lee: I would be more inclined to attribute the success of the film to its premise over the cast. I think there was some fun to be had with "four different couples, each dysfunctional in their own entertaining way." I think was certainly brought alive by the attractive cast but I think the premise allowed them to succeed.

Reagen Sulewski: There's no way this happens with a more generic cast, Jason. It doesn't have to be exactly this cast, maybe - Will Ferrell or Steve Carell could have subbed in somewhere and it would probably have done about the same - but you need at least one comedy headliner and two or three decently known female leads.

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