Peter Billingsley
8 connections found
Filmography
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Connections, in both directions
In addition to the couples therapy, they are signed up for activities like yoga, where instructor Salvadore (Carlos Ponce, "Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo," "Just My Luck") mimics hetero and homosexual sex acts with his students; a 'getting in touch with nature' exercise with resort guru Marcel (Jean Reno, "Léon: The Professional," "The Da Vinci Code") that lands Jason and Dave in the center of circling sharks; and massage where the separately horny Lucy and Joey can attempt to come on to their masseur and masseusse.
In addition to the couples therapy, they are signed up for activities like yoga, where instructor Salvadore (Carlos Ponce, "Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo," "Just My Luck") mimics hetero and homosexual sex acts with his students; a 'getting in touch with nature' exercise with resort guru Marcel (Jean Reno, "Léon: The Professional," "The Da Vinci Code") that lands Jason and Dave in the center of circling sharks; and massage where the separately horny Lucy and Joey can attempt to come on to their masseur and masseusse.
Meanwhile, the film’s director Christian Ditter’s last work was the melodrama Love, Rosie (2014), and additional screenwriter Dana Fox — who wrote The Wedding Date (2005), What Happens in Vegas (2008) and Couples Retreat (2009) — also created the 2012 sitcom Ben and Kate , which starred Dakota Johnson.
One of the best parts of the script from Abby Kohn & Marc Silverstein (“He’s Just Not That Into You”) and Dana Fox (“ Couples Retreat ”)—although those previous films theoretically wouldn’t provide much cause for optimism—is the way that it judges none of the characters for their sexual choices.
The only thing that keeps it watchable is the yeoman work of a talented ensemble laid to waste by soulless, juvenile writing by Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein (“He’s Just Not That Into You”) that’s been poorly doctored by Dana Fox (“Couples Retreat”).
The screenplay for How to Be Single — based on the novel by former Sex and the City writer Liz Tuccillo, who also co-wrote the book He’s Just Not That Into You — was co-written by Dana Fox (Couples Retreat) and Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein, the same duo who wrote Never Been Kissed and, yes, the movie version of He’s Just Not That Into You.
The 2008 novel of the same name – Tucillo’s follow-up to the self-help book, co-written with Greg Behrendt, on which He’s Just Not… was based – was adapted by Dana Fox (Couples Retreat) and He’s Just Not… screenwriters Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)
Directed by Nicholas Stoller
influenced Couples Retreat (2009)
Plot
At times, Couples Retreat superficially recalls Forgetting Sarah Marshall and The Hangover, although it doesn't work as well as either.
Regardless of how her career progresses, Kristen Bell at least has had the fortune of heading off to Hawaii to film Forgetting Sarah Marshall and now Bora Bora to shoot Couples Retreat.
He invites the rest of his coupled-up friends to a Powerpoint presentation to deliver the bad news along with his equally rigid wife Cynthia (played by Forgetting Sarah Marshall 's Kristen Bell) then begs them to chip in on a group deal to a luxury resort that specialises in couples therapy.
Married buddies Dave (Vince Vaughn, "Swingers," "The Break-Up"), Joey (Jon Favreau, "Swingers," "I Love You, Man"), Jason (Jason Bateman, TV's "Arrested Development," "Extract") and recent divorcé Shane (Faizon Love, "Who's Your Caddy?," "The Perfect Holiday") are surprised to learn that Jason and his wife Cynthia (Kristen Bell, "Forgetting Sarah Marshall") are contemplating divorce because of the stress of trying to conceive a child.
By the time the opening credits have come to a close, our gawky hero has already been framed for the murders, and is being hunted by Victor Fuentes (Jordi Mollà, essentially reprising his role as the wacko villain from “Bad Boys II“), a man so deadly and deranged that "cemeteries are in business because of him."
Her cover switched to Penny Morgan, an Iowa cat lady, she arrives in Rome to be overlooked by all Italian men but her oddly smitten driver Aldo (Peter Serafinowicz, "Couples Retreat").
He pulls it off spectacularly with the help of two Oscar-winning actresses, Emma Stone and Emma Thompson, and a script by Dana Fox (“Couples Retreat”) and Tony McNamara, who is known for his television work.
Nevertheless, Disney's gamble paid off in tapping Craig Gillespie ( "I, Tonya" ) to direct the film, working from a script and story credited to a handful of writers, among them Dana Fox ("Couples Retreat"), Tony McNamara ("The Favourite") and Aline Brosh McKenna, who worked on "The Devil Wears Prada," which feels like the movie's spirit guide.
A summer vacation comedy featuring Adam Sandler and four of his closest comic friends sounds both promising and daunting at the same time, maybe because the last time we've seen something close to "Grown Ups" was when Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau made "Couples Retreat" and we all remember how that turned out .