Swingers ****½ (1996, Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau, Patrick Van Horn, Ron Livingston, Heather Graham) – Classic Movie Review 981

Director Doug Liman’s fresh and 1996 funny comedy focuses on four madly anxious, self-deluded swingers (Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn, Patrick Van Horn, Ron Livingston) who head for Las Vegas in search of a good time with gals. They are young wannabe actors who become regulars in the stylish Nineties lounge scene.

Vaughn’s confident character Trent sets out to teach his nervy friend Mike (Favreau) the unwritten rules of the scene. Six months ago Mike left his girlfriend of six years behind in New York when he came to LA to be a star and now his buddies want to cheer him up and get him dating again.

Liman’s particularly funny, incisive and heart-warming comedy is truthfully and wittily written by its star Favreau. It is clever stuff, beautifully played and handled by a talented ensemble. Alex Désert (Charles), Heather Graham (Lorraine) and Deena Martin (Christy) are also in the cast.

Favreau and Vaughn teamed up for the much less successful Made in 2001. Favreau went back to Las Vegas for Very Bad Things in 1998.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 981

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