'Beautiful Disaster' movie review: Dylan Sprouse, Virginia Gardner star in a fairly enjoyable romcom

Beautiful Disaster still

Film: Beautiful Disaster (Amazon prime)
Cast: Dylan Sprouse, Virginia Gardner, Austin North, Libe Barer
Director: Roger Kumble
Rating: 2.5/5
Runtime: 96 minutes

What happens in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas. Abby (Virginia Gardner - an amiable cross between Alicia Silverstone and Reese Witherspoon) tries to leave behind her dark past in favor of educational pursuits. But as a college freshman, she gets entangled with local bad boy Travis (Dylan Sprouse), who wears his tattoos proudly, rides a noisy bike and happens to be a freestyle bare-knuckle fighter during the night. Abby's had enough trouble in her life because of her Dad, Mick. She aims to stay away from Travis because she thinks he'll bring chaos into her life.

‘Beautiful Disaster' has been adapted from Jamie McGuire's bestselling romance but doesn't have the book's depth of character. The film is rather over-the-top, campy and frivolous.

Though Abby claims she wants nothing to do with Travis who happens to remind her of her father, an inveterate Vegas gambler, she willing falls in line with a contrived set-up that has her losing a bet with Travis and therefore agreeing to spend a month with him as his roomie. ‘Friends without Benefits' she reiterates and they do manage to last quite a distance without getting into hanky-panky…eventually though the attraction between the two gets too much and they end up involved in a ridiculously funny sex scene that has them tearing up clothes, breaking bathroom fixtures, cracking mirrors and what not…even though there was a bed available just a few feet away.

The writing feels a little contrary. Abby is the progeny of a bad boy and therefore wants to become studious while Travis stays true to his bad boy persona only to have love turn him into a good person. Toxic masculinity suddenly converts into a feminist's ideal - it all depends on the perception I guess. The conversations here appear to be confusing.. a rather appropriate representation of how teenagers think. The production values are pretty spiffy. Director Roger Kumble who made a name for himself with the 1999 release ‘Cruel Intentions' starring Sarah Michelle Gellar and Reese Witherspoon, keeps the proceedings nippy and moderately entertaining. The romcom aspects may seem rather ridiculous but they don't fail to get a laugh out of you.

Gardner has charm and lends Abby some spunk while Sprouse gets the bad boy look just right. Though the characters are barely developed, and the plot practically non-existent, Gardner and Sprouse manage good timing - making it fun to watch them rubbing each other the wrong way. This is an enjoyable film if not a memorable one.