Universal Studios is catching heat for a movie poster for the flop recent release Couples Retreat. The U.S. poster for the movie features the four couples showcased in the film standing thigh-deep in a lagoon. The UK version of the movie poster omits the African American couple played by Faizon Love and Kali Hawk and shifts over one of the white couples for a tighter shot. Critics of the advertising change call the omission racist, akin to Microsoft's partial race change for a man in one of its Polish ads. For its part, Universal says it intended no offense and was simply adjusting the poster to showcase better-known stars for its international market.
It is intersting to note Faizon Love has fourth billing in this large ensemble cast above Kristin Davis of Sex and the City and Melrose Place (the old one); Kali Hawk is second to last above Jean Reno who survived the cut in the list of cast names. I could (perhaps) begin to consider Universal's explanation if both Love and Hawk were bottom billing, but they are not. The only widely recognized name--in the U.S. or elsewhere--is Vince Vaughn's anyway. Additionally, one of Love's scenes steals the whole show in and otherwise ho-hum movie. For goodness sakes, Love and Hawk are so far behind everyone else in the U.S. poster it looks like they wandered into the shot from another retreat next door.
Granted the tight shot is a better one, but it would have been better advised to simply feature Vaughn and his mate on a modified poster. Removing only one couple just seems so...obvious. For those crying "Oh, but the second shot is a different shot!" please look closely. The UK poster features some pretty amateur photoshopping. Some character's poses are exactly the same as the U.S. poster whereas others are only slightly different. I believe it to be a composite of other promotional shots. The bottom line is: if they had room to add a huge red suitcase, they had room to keep Love and Hawk.
Universal issued an apology and has scrapped plans to use the modified poster in their marketing materials, but the damage is done.
Source: Daily Mail UK
