Vegas Wedding Plot Hole: What Really Happened?

The 2008 romantic comedy What Happens in Vegas has a plot hole that leaves viewers questioning the legality of the main characters' drunken Las Vegas wedding. Joy McNally (Cameron Diaz) and Jack Fuller (Ashton Kutcher) wake up married after a night of partying, setting the scene for the rest of the movie. However, viewers have pointed out that in reality, marriages in Las Vegas chapels are not legally binding without a marriage license, which is never shown or mentioned in the film. Despite this plot hole, the movie was a box office success, grossing $219.4 million worldwide.

The couple's plan to get a quick divorce and divide the money is complicated by the judge's ruling

The 2008 romantic comedy "What Happens in Vegas" stars Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher as a couple who get married and win a casino jackpot during a drunken night in Las Vegas. The couple, Joy Ellis McNally and Jack Fuller, respectively, plan to get a quick divorce and divide the money. However, their plans are complicated by the divorce court judge's ruling, which states that they cannot divorce until they attempt to co-exist for six months while attending weekly marriage counselling sessions.

The judge's ruling creates a complicated situation for the couple, who now have to navigate their newlywed life while also dealing with the significant amount of money at stake. The ruling forces them to live together and try to make their marriage work, at least temporarily. This unexpected turn of events sets the tone for the rest of the movie, as the couple tries to navigate their new situation and the challenges that come with it.

The judge's ruling also adds an element of conflict to the story. On one hand, Joy and Jack are compelled to stay married and attempt to get along for a chance at the money. On the other hand, they are both determined to get their hands on the full jackpot, which leads them to devise cunning schemes to undermine each other. They attempt to drive each other to want to get out of the marriage, creating a tense and competitive dynamic in their newlywed life. This conflict builds up the drama and comedy that the movie is known for.

The judge's ruling not only complicates the couple's plans but also sets the stage for their character development and the evolution of their relationship. As they navigate their forced coexistence, they unexpectedly find themselves attracted to each other, realizing that being together has brought out the best in both of them. This development adds a layer of romance to the story, transforming their relationship from a drunken mistake to a potential love story.

Overall, the judge's ruling serves as a pivotal plot point in "What Happens in Vegas." It not only complicates the couple's initial plans for a quick divorce and money division but also sets in motion a series of events that drive the story forward, creating conflict, comedy, and ultimately, a surprising romance.

The accidental marriage occurs after a booking error and a night of drinking

The accidental marriage is a well-known trope in romantic comedies, and the 2008 film *What Happens in Vegas* is a prime example. The plot centres on two people, Jack and Joy, who are compelled to live life as a couple after a series of unfortunate events.

Jack Fuller is a carefree carpenter who is fired by his father. Joy McNally is a driven career woman who is dumped by her fiancé. Both are feeling down and decide to go to Las Vegas to forget their troubles. A booking error sees them assigned to the same hotel room, and after a night of drinking, they wake up to discover they got married. They want to get out of the marriage, but things become complicated when Jack wins $3 million in a slot machine jackpot with a coin borrowed from Joy. As they are now married, Joy is entitled to half of the money.

Back in New York, the couple attempts to divorce. However, the judge declares that they must remain married for six months and attend counselling sessions. If they can prove they have tried to make the marriage work but still want to divorce after six months, they can each keep half the winnings. But if either party does not cooperate, the money will be tied up in litigation.

Jack and Joy then move in together and try to drive each other to want to get out of the marriage. However, as they spend more time together, they fall in love.

The couple's attempts to undermine each other to get the money

A significant plot hole in the movie "What Happens in Vegas" involves the $3 million jackpot won by Joy and Jack, which is supposed to be the driving force behind their prolonged marriage. The movie's premise is that the longer they stay married, the more money they can potentially walk away with after their divorce. However, this creates a situation where the couple has no incentive to get a divorce quickly and, in fact, should have worked together to maintain their marriage for as long as possible to maximize their individual gains.

Addressing this plot hole, here is a narrative describing how the couple attempts to undermine each other in their quest for the money:

Joy and Jack, realizing the potential windfall from their unexpected marriage, quickly become aware of the ironic situation they find themselves in. Knowing that a prolonged marriage means a larger payout for both of them, they each devise strategies to undermine the other and be the one to ultimately gain the upper hand, and the larger share of the $3 million.

Jack, being the more care-free and mischievous of the two, decides to employ a series of pranks and practical jokes to irritate Joy and make their living situation unbearable. He sets multiple alarm clocks to go off at random times during the night, hides Joy's important work documents, and even replaces her hair products with similar-looking glues and adhesives. Jack figures that if he can frustrate Joy enough, she might make a mistake or slip-up that would benefit him in their upcoming divorce proceedings.

Not one to be outdone, Joy counters with her own tactics. She begins by feigning interest in all of Jack's favorite pastimes, knowing full well that he falls hard and fast for any sign of common interest. She pretends to be enthralled by his beloved New York Yankees, even going so far as to wear their merchandise and decorate their home with team paraphernalia. However, during a crucial game, she "accidentally" gives away the score, ruining the ending for Jack and infuriating him in the process. She also signs him up for various time-consuming and expensive hobbies, like wine-tasting courses and golf lessons, knowing he'll be too stubborn to back out and that these activities will eat into the time they spend together.

As the pranks and counter-pranks escalate, their once-cordial living arrangement dissolves into a battleground. They each attempt to one-up the other, with increasingly elaborate schemes. Joy, knowing Jack's fondness for a particular brand of expensive whiskey, replaces the bottle with a cheap, harsh alternative, causing him to pour it out in disgust. In response, Jack "accidentally" washes Joy's expensive cashmere sweaters, causing them to shrink to unwearable sizes.

Despite their best efforts to undermine each other, the prolonged marriage only serves to strengthen their claim to the full $3 million. The judge, impressed by their commitment to making the marriage work, even in the face of such adversity, rules that the couple must split the money evenly, regardless of any misdeeds or pranks played on each other. This unexpected outcome forces the couple to realize that their efforts to sabotage were fruitless, and perhaps working together, at least until the divorce, would have been a more profitable endeavor.

The judge freezes the money and sentences them to six months of hard marriage

In the 2008 romantic comedy film *What Happens in Vegas*, Joy McNally (Cameron Diaz) and Jack Fuller (Ashton Kutcher) are two people who, after being dumped and fired, respectively, go to Las Vegas to forget their troubles. A computer error at their hotel leads to them sharing a room, and after a night of drinking, they wake up to discover they have gotten married. They decide to get a divorce, but before they can, they win $3 million in a slot machine jackpot with a quarter belonging to Joy.

The ownership of the money comes into question, and the couple takes the issue to court. The judge, R.D. Whopper, freezes the money and sentences them to six months of hard marriage, with Joy moving into Jack's house and both attending regular counselling sessions. They are told that if they work at the marriage but still want to divorce after six months, they can each keep half of the winnings. However, if either party does not cooperate, the money will be tied up in litigation.

Knowing this, Joy and Jack each try to make the other want to get out of the marriage so that they can claim the entire sum for themselves. They devise cunning schemes to undermine each other, such as Jack telling Joy that their counselling session is cancelled to prove she's not committed, and Joy inviting girls to their apartment to try to seduce Jack. Despite their attempts to drive each other away, they end up developing an unexpected attraction to one another and falling in love.

The couple's mutual attraction and realisation that being together has brought out the best in them

Joy and Jack's mutual attraction and realisation that being together has brought out the best in them is a key turning point in the film. Up until this point, the couple had been at odds, trying to undermine each other to get their hands on the full $3 million slot machine jackpot. However, at Joy's work retreat, they develop an unexpected attraction to one another. They realise that being together has brought out the best in both of them. This marks a significant shift in their relationship, as they move from trying to sabotage each other to genuinely caring for and supporting each other.

Joy, a high-strung commodity futures trader, and Jack, an easy-going carpenter, initially seem like an unlikely match. They meet by chance in Las Vegas after both experiencing heartbreak and being sent on debauched trips to the city by their respective best friends. A series of mishaps and misunderstandings lead to them sharing a hotel room, where they party and drink together, eventually getting married on a whim. The next morning, they agree that it was a mistake and plan to divorce. However, things get complicated when Jack wins a $3 million jackpot using a quarter given to him by Joy, meaning she is entitled to half the money as his wife.

Back in New York, the couple attempts to divorce, but the judge declares that they cannot until they attempt to co-exist for six months and attend weekly marriage counselling sessions. During this time, they devise schemes to undermine each other and drive the other to want a divorce. Despite their initial conflict, they gradually develop a mutual attraction and realise that being together has brought out positive changes in both of them.

This turning point in their relationship sets the stage for the resolution of the film, where they ultimately decide to stay together and split the remaining money, choosing love over money. This realisation that they bring out the best in each other is a pivotal moment that transforms their relationship and leads to their eventual happy ending.

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