What Happens in Vegas (2008)

What Happens in Vegas is the kind of rom-com that doesn’t pretend to be profound—it just wants to make you laugh, keep the energy high, and let two movie-star personalities spark off each other like flint. Cameron Diaz’s tightly wound overachiever and Ashton Kutcher’s charming slacker make a surprisingly likable pair, and the film has a breezy, candy-colored vibe that turns petty one-upmanship into a steady stream of comedic payoffs. The Vegas setup is delightfully ridiculous, but the movie’s real pleasure is watching it find a warm, human rhythm underneath the hangovers and scheming. It is fairly raunchy and broad, so it won’t be for everyone, but if you want a light, funny date-night watch that doesn’t overstay its welcome, it delivers.

What Happens in Vegas is trying to be a slick, bickering-rom-com where two mismatched strangers wake up married and are forced into fake domesticity while a jackpot dangles overhead. The problem is it leans hard on loud, mean-spirited pranks and familiar “battle of the sexes” beats, so the chemistry often feels more like a contract obligation than a spark. It’s also fairly raunchy and booze-soaked, with a lot of hangover humor and sexual innuendo that can come off as crude rather than clever. If you’re in the mood for a lightweight, early-2000s studio rom-com with a couple of charming moments from Diaz and Kutcher, you’ll get by; if you want fresh writing, genuine romance, or comedy that doesn’t rely on irritation, this one will test your patience.