Director Andrew Bergman
Producer Mike Lobell
Writer Andrew Bergman
Cinematography William A. Fraker
Music David Newman
Editor Barry Malkin
Stars James Caan, Nicolas Cage, Sarah Jessica Parker, Pat Morita
Genre Comedy, Romance, Thriller
Running Time 96 min
Release Date August 28, 1992
Country United States
Language English
Cast
Actor Movie Character
- James Caan Tommy Korman
- Nicolas Cage Jack Singer
- Sarah Jessica Parker Betsy Nolan/ Donna Korman
- Peter Boyle Chief Orman
- Seymour Cassel Tony Cataracts
- Pat Morita Mahi Mahi
- Johnny Williams Johnny Sandwitch
- John Capodice Sally Molars
- Bruno Mars Little Elvis
- Robert Constanzo Sidney Tomashefsky
- Anne Bancroft Bea Singer
- Tony Shalhoub Buddy Walker
- Burton Gilliam Roy Bacon
- Clearance Giddens Black Elvis
- Ben Stein Walter
Plot
The film begins with a pre-credit scene whereby Private eye Jack Singer (Nicholas Cage) is at the deathbed of his mother, Bea Singer. She coerces him into promising of never marrying at all. Years after his mother’s death, Jack’s job is booming and he enjoys a fairly stable relationship with his girlfriend Betsy Nolan (Sarah Jessica Parker).
However, Jack cannot fully commit to marrying her as he is entangled to the vow he made to his mother. Jack finally decides to marrying Betsy in a last ditch attempt to saving their relationship. They agree to tie the knot at a Bally Casino Resort, in Las Vegas
While in Vegas, wealthy gambler, Tommy Korman is attracted to the beauty of Betsy Nolan. Jack decides to play a promotional poker game arranged to keep the guests entertained. The game is part of a crooked plan from Tommy to get at Betsy.
Jack finally loses all that he had. Tommy offers Jack a $65,000 loan so as to recover his lost money. However, Jack was to give up Betsy for the weekend in exchange for the debt. Unfortunately, Tommy manages to take Betsy for a weekend trip to Kauai, Hawaii. Betsy seems fascinated with the trip too.
Jack catches on and heads to Hawaii to get back the love of his life. While in Hawaii, he meets taxi driver, Mahi Mahi who maliciously proposes to help him find Tommy. After a two-day drive, he leads him to a wrong address.
Frustrated by the taxi driver, he steals his car and heads by himself in pursuit of Tommy. Jack is arrested by the police for stealing the taxi. Luckily enough, he contacts his dentist friend, Sally Molars (John Capodice) who bails him out.
Mahi Mahi later makes it up for him by telling him of Tommy’s whereabouts. Tommy had taken Betsy to Vegas in an attempt of forcibly marrying her. Jack heads to the airport to catch up with the quickest plane to Vegas. He ends in a skydiving team plane heading to Vegas.
Meanwhile, Tommy is trying to force Betsy into his marriage proposal. Betsy manages to hide from Tommy and she joins the crowd. Coincidentally, the skydiving team was to land in the same place where Tommy and Betsy were.
Jack overcomes his fear and he also lands with the team. He spots Betsy in the crowd and they embrace each other with joy. She later confirms that she had turned Tommy down.
Review
Honeymoon in Vegas is a fast paced screwball comedy. A breached promise by the lead character leads him to a bizarre situation. The director superbly illustrates a brief synopsis to the film in form of a cartoon. Any keen viewer can easily depict the turn of events. The farcical plot is then well executed by abled characters all over the film.
The casting would never have been any better. With the gambling agent Jack Singer (Nicholas Cage) at the lead, the film became even more interesting. He perfectly plays the role of a struggling bachelor eager to find his love back.
Despite being a marriage consultant, this time the puzzle was his to unravel. Betsy Nolan (Sarah Jessica Parker) plays the beautiful girlfriend to Jack. Her beauty is worth taking a fight for. She thinks that accepting a treat from the rich gambler is a lesson enough to Jack, however, this lands her into a more complex situation.
Tommy Korman is attracted to a young lady that is on the verge of an engagement. He is cunning enough to entangle Jack to a humongous debt so as to end up with the lady. The epitome of his immorality is portrayed when he forcibly attempts to marry the lady.
Mahi Mahi is an accomplice to Tommy. He does everything just for money. However, he later amends his deeds by proving to be of help to Jack. The rest of the cast blends in well with creative acting and dialogue among them.
The location of the film was very good too, with the famous city of Vegas characterized with its attractive colors, brightness, sets and glamorous sceneries dominated the backdrop. The Bally Casino Resort was a perfect choice of a spot where any bachelor would propose to his girlfriend.
Also, the Hawaii Island also represented a natural, relaxed environment whereby any rich man would take a lady so as to win her approval. The director managed to blend in a diverse ethnic cast of Hawaii origin so as to make the trip surreal.
The themes of hope for marriage and social classes are evident in the film. Iconic Elvis songs were also covered by some music stars in the film. An interesting jail house rock song was also played when Jack was arrested. A young Bruno Mars also featured in covering a famous Elvis Song. However, the film is R rated for sex, crude language, nakedness and moments of violence.
Rating
For anyone longing for a screwball comedy with an interesting plot, Honeymoon in Vegas fits the bill. Watching it will prove a noble use of your 100 or so minutes. A rating of 5 out of 5 clearly illustrates my satisfaction towards the film.
