THE LAYOVER DVD (2017)

SYNOPSIS: Single and jobless, best friends Meg (Kate Upton) and Kate (Alexandra Daddario) are in a rough patch. When the pair decides to take a tropical vacation to escape the stress of their lives, a hurricane reroutes their flight to St. Louis for an extended layover. Stuck in a hotel with their fellow passengers, Meg and Kate suddenly find that their vacation has turned into an all-out competition for the same hot guy (Matt Barr) they met on the plane.

MOVIE REVIEW:

It took two men to write The Layover and it even manages to rope in an Oscar nominated actor, William H. Macy to direct it and yes, it’s meant to be a rom-com for the women crowd. Ironically, straight men will find The Layover more appealing than anybody else because it stars two sexy, buxomy actresses, Alexandra Daddario (Baywatch) and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model turned actress Kate Upton.

Upset with their failing careers, two longtime friends, Kate (Daddario) and Meg (Upton) decides to take an impromptu trip to Florida where they both find themselves falling in love with a hunky guy, Ryan (Matt Barr) on board the flight. As ridiculous as the 2009 rom-com, Bride Wars, The Layover has two beasties frantically fighting over a man instead of a wedding venue. The level of silliness is the same, the laughs are limited and this is despite Daddario and Upton putting on their best claws.

Admit this, no one in the right mind is going to watch this movie for the script and acting. The first hot air balloon sequence is just plain forgettable and there’s not enough raunchiness unless you include Kate’s poo situation in the toilet of a petrol kiosk. If you are here for a sexy flick, you won’t be disappointed in the swimming pool scene at least Macy knows the selling point.

The movie kind of put women in a rather tight, embarrassing spot when there’s frequent talks of female empowerment nowadays. You mean girls actually go all competitive and ga-ga over a man and throw out their decades old friendship out of the window in a snap of a finger? Who knows, as this movie is written by two men not a group of girls.  

The last act attempts to reconcile and dispense some need be advice about life, a total farce by the way. It’s really hard to root and love all the central characters, they have questionable morals, did despicable things liked putting anti-anxiety pills to a bottle of wine and often annoying. Still, when they are Alexandra Daddario and Kate Upton in real-life, you give them or ahem the movie a chance. We got to be generous at times.  

SPECIAL FEATURES:

NIL

AUDIO/VISUAL:

The Layover is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1, a more than serviceable affair. Dialogue and music tracks are clear and excellent. Images and colour is presentable not outright detailed or textured. 

MOVIE RATING:

DVD RATING :

Review by Linus Tee