Honeymoon in Vegas

Starring: Nicolas Cage

Directed by: Andrew Bergman

RS: Not Rated

1992 Romance

In movies written or directed by Andrew Bergman (The In-Laws, The Freshman), the choicest laughs often come from left field. The plot of Honeymoon is merely serviceable: Detective Jack Singer (Nicolas Cage) heads to Vegas to marry teacher Betsy Nolan (Sarah Jessica Parker), then loses at poker to gambler Tommy Korman (James Caan), whom he has to repay by letting him take Betsy to Hawaii for a (no sex) weekend. Still, Parker's intelligent sexiness is a pleasure; Caan excels at sassy goodfellas; and the quirky Cage proves surprisingly adept at comedy.

But what makes this likably shaggy farce so flat-out funny are the incidentals: the Elvis impersonators of every nationality who converge on Vegas, a spectacle enhanced by a soundtrack crammed with Elvis hits sung by the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, U2's Bono, John Mellencamp and Willie Nelson; the surprise cameos from Anne Bancroft, Pat Morita, basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian, boxer Earnie Shavers and, especially, Peter Boyle as a reclusive Hawaiian chief who belts out show tunes (his "Bali Hai" is a pip) and eagerly anticipates the arrival on Kauai of the musical Grand Hotel; and Jack's climactic parachute jump into Vegas with fifteen flying Elvi in pompadours and neon jumpsuits. Viva Las Vegas, indeed.

PETER TRAVERS
RS 639