‘Last Vegas’, directed by Jon Turteltaub (‘National Treasure’) and written by Dan Fogelman (‘Crazy, Stupid, Love’) is what I and many others would call ‘Hangover’ for the geriatric set.
That doesn’t mean, the film isn’t funny, because it is…at times.
This is the story of four guys from Flatbush who form a friendship as kids (they are known as the ‘Flatbush 4’) and remain friends for nearly 60 years.
When we first meet the characters as grown up men, Sam (Kevin Kline) is living in Florida with his wife and bored out of his mind.
Archie (Morgan Freeman) is going crazy living with his overly protective son in New Jersey. Archie, the oldest of the group at 70, has had a little stroke, or episode as he likes to call it, and now spends most of his time, playing with his grandson.
Paddy (Robert DeNiro) is mourning the loss of his wife hardly ever stepping out of his Brooklyn apartment.
When the guys receive a phone call from Billy (Michael Douglas) their rich, overly tanned, lawyer friend who lives in Malibu, announcing that he’s finally getting married at the age of 69, the men decide to reunite in Vegas for a bachelor party.
It’s important to note at this point two things…One, Paddy is tricked into going, since he hasn’t spoken to Billy in over a year. He’s pissed off at him for not attending his wife’s funeral and, two…Billy’s girlfriend is 32 years old.
When the men arrive in town, they realize that this is NOT the Vegas of their youth…But that doesn’t stop them from quickly getting the lay of the land and partying like it’s 1979…or thereabouts.
Along the way, an older, but still beautiful woman, Diana (Mary Steenburgen) who sings the blues at a local lounge decides to join the guys as they storm the town.
‘Last Vegas’ is about the difficulties that come with growing old, especially when you still feel like a kid inside, but more importantly, it is the story of friendship and what binds us to one another.
The film which opens, Friday November 1, 2013 will make you laugh, at times groan at some of the obvious corny jokes, but I promise, you will leave the theatre feeling good.
For that reason, I gave ‘Last Vegas’ 3 1/2 bagels out of 5.
Check out our video for John’s rating and more of our thoughts.
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