Wiggly Socks Movie Reviews

By Linda Winsh-Bolard



On the imaginary opposite sides of New York City two events happen nearly simultaneously: Jack (Ashton Kutcher) gets fired by his Dad from the family business and Joy (Cameron Diaz) gets dumped by her fiancé. Both decide to cheer up in Las Vegas. Both will bring friends along, Jack comes with Hater (Robe Corddry) and Joy with Tipper (Lake Bell).

Partying in Vegas can bring unexpected joys, such as a marriage bliss, or singular lack of it, for this couple. In the cold morning light Joy realizes that mending one’s heart might have been a bit misguided when it comes to Jack as the mender. It is a shared sentiment.

What bonds them is not only money, Jack wins 3 millions with Joy’s coin in the slot machines, but the decision of irate judge Whopper they are sentenced to six months of hard marriage, if they want to keep their share of the money (“it’s not gays destroying the sanctity of marriage – it’s you people!”). Should either of them default, they’ll forfeit their right to the bounty.

It is, of course, supposed to be comical rendering of the war of sexes (remember the War of Roses?); only it did not quite work out. Cameron Diaz's professional trader is not enough of the opposite of the laid back party boy Kutcher, their tricks are too predictable (if one of them is deemed the "bad spouse" he/she loses) and the end is foreseen from the very beginning.

Comically, it would have probably worked better had Joy been portrayed by Demi Moore. Moore would have pulled off a businesswoman, whose aberration was caused by unhappiness and alcohol, and followed by attempts to escape the uncouth youth, much better then Diaz. Ashton Kutcher is overgrown boy (when is he not?) with mean streak; again had Diaz’s character been true, then she would have fallen for something like that only in Vegas- and drunk. When Joy describes her perfect day without any pressure, by herself, she is admitting to self sufficiency that Jack pretends to have. It is possibly the most touching moment in the film.

Hater and Tipper are a bit more of laughs, as people and the lawyer for their friends, and dialog with sharp edges, they mange to be plausible as well as compelling. We found out what has happened to them only in a flashback, right before the end of the movie. More is the pity. Queen Latifah is lovely as the marriage counselor, Dr. Twitchell, dealing with newlyweds who despise each other.

Tom Vaughan directed this, which gives a clue to how it is directed: heavy handed, unsubtle, overstated, and predictable with plenty of innuendo and flesh. More of a slapstick comedy than a romantic one. If that type of easy on the eye- over easy on the spirit is your genre it might make you smile, probably not laugh. If a bit more subtlety is needed to engage your spirit, skip it.

Cameron’s father Emilio Diaz died of complication in influenza a week before the film opened in London, and the actress pulled out of the premiere and temporarily withdrew from shooting of her new movie My Sister’s Keeper to mourn.

Directed by: Tom Vaughan, Script: Dana Fox, Camera: Matthew F. Leonetti, Editor: Matt Friedman,Music: Christophe Beck, Produced by: Michael Aguilar, Dean Georgaris, Shawn Levy ,Credits: Cameron Diaz, Ashton Kutcher, Queen Latifah, Robb Corddry, Krysten Ritter, Lake Bell, Zach Galifianakis, Dennis Farina, Dennis Miller, Michelle Krusiec, Cheryl Cosenza, Cassidy Gard