by Kam Williams

Mandatory Marriage Counseling Ruins Vacation in Battle-of-the-Sexes Sitcom

Jason (Jason Bateman) and Cynthia (Kristen Bell) are on the brink of separating. She hears her biological clock ticking, but their visits to a fertility clinic have been futile due to a low sperm count caused by testicular cancer. Before throwing in the towel, they agree to go for marriage counseling at Eden, an idyllic retreat on Bora Bora billing itself on the internet as the ultimate playground for adults. Besides couples’ therapy, the Polynesian getaway also offers jet skiing, snorkeling, windsurfing, drinking, dancing and all the rest of the amenities one would expect to enjoy at a tropical resort.

However, when Jason notices on its website that the group-rate is half the price, he decides to try to talk his buddies into coming along for an impromptu vacation, even though their relationships aren’t in crisis. After being assured that they won’t have to do any therapy sessions at the spa, three other couples book the trip, fully expecting to unwind during a relaxing week of partying and fun in the sun. Only upon their arrival, do they learn that the island is divided in half, with Eden East catering to the sort of hedonistic delights they were anticipating while Eden West has a mandatory daily regimen with activities designed with troubled relationships in mind.

Consequently, they all end up under the thumb of Monsieur Marcel (Jean Reno), a “Couples Whisperer” who claims he can cure any ailing marriage. Unfortunately, instead of bringing these folks closer together, his probing tends to create problems where there were none before. Couples Retreat is a breezy sitcom that takes a lighthearted look at the state of male-female relating. To its credit, this refreshingly-tame chucklefest figured out how to elicit lots of laughs without having to resort to the sort of meanspirited insults which have become the staple of the battle-of-the-sexes genre.

Just don’t expect much in the way of plot development, since this is essentially a series of disconnected skits, most of which are funny, even if they don’t ultimately mesh together in a meaningful way. A pleasant romantic romp likely to delight, provided you’re willing to put your brain on pause for a couple of hours.