38-627: Last Vegas is a 2013 American comedy film directed by Jon Turteltaub , written by Dan Fogelman and starring Michael Douglas , Robert De Niro , Morgan Freeman , Kevin Kline and Mary Steenburgen . Three retirees travel to Las Vegas to have a bachelor party for their last remaining single friend. The film was released to theaters on November 1, 2013, by CBS Films . Four childhood friends from Brooklyn —Sam, Archie, Paddy, and Billy—are now older. Sam and his wife Miriam live in Naples, Florida . Archie,
76-546: A bachelor party for Billy in Las Vegas . After being given permission by Miriam to cheat on her, Sam collects Archie, whose ongoing health issues cause his son to be concerned. They convince a reluctant Paddy to join them and they fly off to rendezvous with Billy in Vegas. Billy and Paddy get into a heated argument about Billy's failure to attend Sophie's funeral. They visit the Aria where
114-713: A camp sensibility lay behind the successful Carry On films , while in America subversive independent film-maker John Waters made camp films for college audiences with his drag queen friends that eventually found a mainstream audience. The success of the American television show Saturday Night Live drove decades of cinema with racier content allowed on television drawing on the program's stars and characters, with bigger successes including Wayne's World , Mean Girls , Ghostbusters and Animal House . Parody and joke-based films continue to find audiences. While comedic films are among
152-559: A film genre that emphasizes humor . These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending , with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the oldest genres in film, and it is derived from classical comedy in theatre . Some of the earliest silent films were slapstick comedies , which often relied on visual depictions, such as sight gags and pratfalls, so they could be enjoyed without requiring sound. To provide drama and excitement to silent movies, live music
190-566: A bride's preferences, the size of her family, and the number of attendants her partner would like to have as well. Many modern couples do not have bridesmaids or groomsmen, which eliminates all the associated expenses and logistical effort. The male equivalent is the groomsman , also known in British English as an usher. In the United States, the role of attending to the groom has diverged from that of escorting guests to their seats, and
228-429: A bridesmaid often participates in planning wedding-related events, such as a bridal shower or bachelorette party , if there are any. These, however, are optional activities; according to etiquette expert Judith Martin , "Contrary to rumor, bridesmaids are not obliged to entertain in honor of the bride, nor to wear dresses they cannot afford." If it is customary in the bride's area to have a bridesmaids luncheon, then it
266-476: A friend, such as attending the bride as she shops for her wedding dress. Aside from being the bride's right hand, the maid of honor is responsible for leading the rest of the bridal party through the planning of any pre-wedding events. For example, the principal bridesmaid will be the one to make the arrangements for the bridal shower, including invitations, decorations, food, and any games or activities that will be played. He or she will also be in charge of planning
304-431: A long-time male friend or brother as their head attendant, using the title 'best man' or 'man of honor'. The activities of the principal bridesmaid may be as many or as varied as she allows the bride to impose upon her. Her only required duty is to participate in the wedding ceremony. Typically, however, she is asked for help with the logistics of the wedding as an event, such as addressing invitations , and for her help as
342-479: A separate genre, but rather, provides a better understanding of the film. Bridesmaids Bridesmaids are members of the bride's party at some Western traditional wedding ceremonies. A bridesmaid is typically a young woman and often the bride 's close friend or relative. She attends to the bride on the day of a wedding or marriage ceremony. Traditionally, bridesmaids were chosen from unwed young women of marriageable age . The principal bridesmaid, if one
380-539: A twice-divorced Vietnam veteran , lives in New Jersey . Paddy lives alone in his Brooklyn apartment, bitter since the death of his beloved wife, Sophie. Billy is a successful entrepreneur in Malibu , who lives with his 31-year-old girlfriend Lisa. Shortly after proposing to Lisa (at a funeral), Billy finds an old bottle of scotch he and his friends stole in their childhood days, and calls Sam and Archie, who immediately propose
418-581: A woman he does not truly love. Sam and Archie decide to throw a massive bachelor party for Billy in their suite that night. They prepare for the party and invite several people including a bachelorette party from the nightclub, exotic dancers , a band of drag queens , and cast members of Zarkana . Billy visits Diana. She admits that she is fond of him, and asks if he truly loves Lisa. As they walk along The Strip , Billy tells Diana that Paddy gave Sophie an ultimatum to choose either Billy or him, and she secretly chose Billy first; but Billy told Sophie that she
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#1732877086446456-427: Is designated, may be called the chief bridesmaid . She may also be called the maid of honor if she is unmarried, or the matron of honor if she is married. A junior bridesmaid is a girl who is clearly too young to be married but who is included as a bridesmaid anyway. In the United States, typically only the maid or matron of honor and the best man are the official witnesses for the wedding license . Often there
494-473: Is devastated to learn this and throws the old bottle of scotch in the trash as he leaves the party. Meanwhile, Sam prepares to cheat on his wife with the young maid of honour but cannot bring himself to do it. The next morning, Paddy confronts Billy at the pool. He informs him that no one could tell Sophie who to love, and that they shared a beautiful life together. He tells Billy to call off the wedding. As Lisa and her bridesmaids arrive, Paddy pushes Billy into
532-472: Is hosted, and therefore organized and paid for, by the bride. A junior bridesmaid has no responsibilities beyond attending the wedding. The duties and costs of being a bridesmaid are parsed out between a bride and her attendants in a variety of ways. Since modern bridesmaids, unlike their historical counterparts, can no longer rely on having their clothes and travel expenses paid for by the bride's family, and are sometimes even told they must pay for parties that
570-438: Is more than one bridesmaid; in modern times the bride chooses how many to ask. Historically, no person of status went out unattended, and the size of the retinue was closely calculated to be appropriate to the family's social status. A large group of bridesmaids provided an opportunity for showing off the family's social status and wealth . Today, the number of bridesmaids in a wedding party is dependent on many variables, including
608-457: Is more than they will be able to give. In some American weddings, each bridesmaid may be asked to spend US$ 1,700 or more, with travel to destination weddings and pre-wedding parties usually being the biggest expense. In the United Kingdom, the term " maid of honour " originally referred to the female attendant of a queen . The term 'bridesmaid' is normally used for all bridal attendants in
646-599: Is often entrusted with the groom's wedding ring until it is needed during the ceremony. Many brides ask bridesmaids if they are adults , to be legal witnesses who sign the marriage license after the ceremony. If there is a reception after the wedding, the maid of honor may be asked to offer a toast to the newlywed. The origin of the Western bridesmaid tradition likely arose from a combination of many factors. The most-likely factors include, but are not limited to, socioeconomic class and status, family size, socialization standards of
684-486: Is separate from that of the bridesmaid, and the small child performing it is known as a flower girl . Although many exceed the minimum, the bridesmaids' required duties are very limited. They are required to attend the wedding ceremony and to assist the bride on the day of the wedding. Bridesmaids in Europe and North America are often asked to assist the bride with planning the wedding and a wedding reception . In modern times,
722-640: Is unable to answer the phone as he is busy in bed with his wife. Early in development, Jack Nicholson was attached to the project. Principal photography started in November 2012 in Las Vegas. At the end of November, filming moved to the Atlanta, Georgia , area. On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds an approval rating of 46% based on 146 reviews, with an average rating of 5.2/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "The cast of Last Vegas keep things amiably watchable, but
760-407: The wedding chapel with Diana, and becomes smitten with her. The quartet later become judges of a swimsuit competition . They are then confronted by the casino manager, who offers to compensate the group with his largest penthouse suite in hopes that Archie will stay and spend his winnings at the hotel. Billy suggests they open the old bottle of scotch to celebrate, but Paddy storms off. That night,
798-514: The UK. However, when the attendant is married, or is a mature woman, the term 'matron of honour' is often used. The influence of American English has led to the chief bridesmaid sometimes being called the maid of honour. In North America, a wedding party might include several bridesmaids, but the 'maid of honor' is the title and position held by the bride's chief attendant, typically her closest friend or sister. In modern-day weddings, some brides opt to choose
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#1732877086446836-445: The US from 3,065 theaters, averaging $ 5,329 per theater and ranking #3 for the weekend. The film closed on February 20, 2014, with a worldwide final gross of $ 134.4 million, becoming CBS Films' highest-grossing film. Last Vegas was released on DVD and Blu-ray on January 28, 2014. The soundtrack to Last Vegas was released on 29 October 2013. Comedy film The comedy film is
874-401: The bachelorette party, including any travel or lodging accommodations that must be arranged. On the day of the wedding, her principal duty is to provide practical and emotional support. She might assist the bride with dressing and, if needed, help the bride manage her veil, a bouquet, a prayer book, or the train of her wedding dress during the day. In a double-ring wedding, the chief bridesmaid
912-449: The bride wants to have before the wedding, it has become customary for the bride to present the bridesmaids with gifts as a sign of gratitude for the support and financial commitment that comes with their roles. It has become equally customary for women who are invited to serve as bridesmaids to first ask about the amount of time, energy, and money that the bride expects from them before accepting this position, and to decline or resign if this
950-541: The day, and religion. Others cite the Biblical story of Jacob , and his two wives Leah and Rachel , who both literally came with their own maids as detailed in the Book of Genesis (29:24, 46:18) as the origin of bridesmaids. These women were handmaidens (servants or slaves) instead of social peers. In ancient times, originally the bride and all the bridesmaids wore exactly the same dress and veiled their faces heavily, for
988-515: The film industry due to their popularity. In The Screenwriters Taxonomy (2017), Eric R. Williams contends that film genres are fundamentally based upon a film's atmosphere, character, and story, and therefore, the labels "drama" and "comedy" are too broad to be considered a genre. Instead, his taxonomy argues that comedy is a type of film that contains at least a dozen different sub-types. A number of hybrid genres have emerged, such as action comedy and romantic comedy . The first comedy film
1026-443: The film is mostly a mellower Hangover retread for the older set." On Metacritic , the film has a weighted average score of 48 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale. Scott Foundas of Variety wrote: "A smattering of funny gags and the nostalgia value of the cast—none of whom, curiously, have ever shared
1064-743: The most popular with audiences at the box office, there is an 'historical bias against a close and serious consideration of comedy' when it comes to critical reception and conferring of awards, such as at the Academy Awards . Film writer Cailian Savage observes "Comedies have won Oscars, although they’ve usually been comedy-dramas, involved very depressing scenes, or appealed to stone-hearted drama lovers in some other way, such as Shakespeare in Love ." According to Williams' taxonomy , all film descriptions should contain their type (comedy or drama) combined with one (or more) sub-genres. This combination does not create
1102-472: The pool and tells Lisa that Billy is calling off the wedding. Billy admits his fear of getting old and being alone. He goes to the lounge where Diana is singing and reveals his feelings for her. The guys finally decide to crack open the old bottle of scotch for a toast; however to their surprise, all but Paddy find the taste to be repulsive. A few months later, Billy and Diana call Archie and Paddy to announce they are getting married. They try to call Sam but he
1140-416: The purpose of confusing jealous suitors and evil spirits. In China during the feudal era , brides were susceptible to kidnapping at weddings by rival clans and hooligans. Shouldering the responsibility to protect the bride, bridesmaids were dressed up like the bride to lower the risk that she might be identified and taken. As legal protections for marriage were established, this was no longer necessary, and
1178-610: The remaining three go to the hotel's nightclub where they enjoy a night of drinking and dancing. Sam meets a young maid of honour from a bachelorette party who expresses her attraction for him. The following day, while the others are recovering, Paddy visits Diana and tells her that he and Billy were both in love with Sophie when they were younger and she picked Paddy. Diana tries to convince him to stop grieving and move on with life because Sophie would want it. Paddy joins Billy at their pool cabana and admits he needs to move on from Sophie's passing while also being upset with Billy for marrying
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1216-493: The screen before—keeps the whole thing more watchable than it has any right to be." Foundas calls the film a clone of The Hangover and praises Mary Steenburgen for her performance but says "The rest of the movie rarely if ever rises to Steenburgen's level." Ignatiy Vishnevetsky of The A.V. Club gave the film a grade D− and wrote: "The high point of Last Vegas is also arguably the low point of Robert De Niro's career." Last Vegas grossed $ 16.3 million in its opening weekend in
1254-534: The two positions are no longer synonymous and are often, if not usually, filled by different persons. In some cultures, such as in Norway, the Netherlands, France and Victorian Britain , it is (or has been) customary for bridesmaids to be small girls rather than grown women. They may carry flowers during the wedding procession and pose with the married couple in bridal photos. In modern English-speaking countries, this role
1292-508: The use of comedy film to make social statements by building their narratives around sensitive cultural, political or social issues. Such films include Dr Strangelove, or How I Learned to Love the Bomb , Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? and The Graduate . In America, the sexual revolution drove an appetite for comedies that celebrated and parodied changing social morals, including Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice and Fanny Hill . In Britain,
1330-426: The wedding will be held, and are attracted to the lounge by the singing of Diana. The five share a drink and convince Diana to join them for festivities. While waiting to get rooms, Archie goes to a blackjack table and buys $ 15,000 worth of chips with his pension money. When Paddy and Sam return, they find that Archie is up $ 102,000. They quickly leave the table in fear of being accused of card counting. Billy tours
1368-414: Was L'Arroseur Arrosé (1895), directed and produced by film pioneer Louis Lumière . Less than a minute long, it shows a boy playing a prank on a gardener. The most notable comedy actors of the silent film era (1895–1927) were Charlie Chaplin , Harold Lloyd , and Buster Keaton , though they were able to make the transition into “ talkies ” after the 1920s. Film-makers in the 1960s skillfully employed
1406-414: Was meant to be with Paddy. Paddy tells Billy he invited Diana to the party because he likes her and wants to start anew after Sophie's passing, but realizes Billy likes her too. When Diana arrives, Billy pushes Paddy into the pool, and takes Diana upstairs to tell her to give Paddy a chance. She says she feels like she is being treated like Sophie, and "gifted" by Billy to Paddy, which Paddy overhears. Paddy
1444-417: Was played in sync with the action on the screen, on pianos, organs, and other instruments. When sound films became more prevalent during the 1920s, comedy films grew in popularity, as laughter could result from both burlesque situations but also from humorous dialogue . Comedy, compared with other film genres , places more focus on individual star actors, with many former stand-up comics transitioning to
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