what happens in vegas (2008)

ashton + cameron = comedic (and vulnerable) gold

Another episode of Rom Coms Revisited: exploring the good/bad/ugly of early 2000s rom coms.

What Happens in Vegas is a 2008 American romantic comedy film directed by Tom Vaughan and written by Dana Fox. It stars Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher as a couple who get married and win a casino jackpot prize during a drunken night in Las Vegas, but their simple plan to get a quick divorce and divide the money is complicated by the divorce court judge's ruling. The title is based on the Las Vegas marketing catchphrase "What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas".^[1] Despite negative reviews from critics, the film was a box office success.

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This is another one of my fave comfort movies. In case you didn’t know, I’m an Ashton Kutcher (Jack) super fan. And I love Cameron Diaz (Joy) in high power roles. In this one, she works 80 hours a week on the stock exchange and likes things exactly how she likes them. Honestly, I want her to run my life. Jack is goofy - he acts like he’s a very immature 23 year old and has weekly role play dates with a hot mechanic.

OK so here’s the set up: Jack is fired by his own father (it’s justified). Joy is dumped by her fiancé in front of everyone at the surprise party she planned for him (it’s not justified). So, they (separately) decide to go to Vegas, where they serendipitously end up hanging out due to a hotel room mix-up. There’s copious amounts of drinking, and somehow they end up Vegas married. OK, weird, but not a huge deal - there’s always annulment. But here’s the thing: on the way out one of them wins a shit ton of money on a slot machine using the other person’s quarter. And remember, they’re married. So technically, the winnings belong to both of them. Whoops!

When they go to court to argue about the money, a judge - who is apparently super pro traditional marriage - sentences them to “6 months hard marriage”, where they must live together (in Jack’s gross apartment!) and attend couples counseling (with Queen Latifah!).

This movie is definitely firmly rooted in 2008 - the gender stuff is really tired. It relies on the hyper competent woman/super incompetent dude trope. There’s a misogynistic boss who dangles a promotion over Joy’s head. Jack acts like he is literally incapable of cleaning - the state of the bathroom is utterly repulsive. He complains to his friend that “men and women are not meant to coexist”.

They spend much of the movie trying to destroy each other. There’s a lot of meanness. But inevitably, there’s chemistry (this is a movie, after all!). And even better - they start to really see each other. While pushing each other’s buttons, they’re also learning how to support each other. There’s a mutual vulnerability and it’s nice to watch.