In Couple’s Retreat, Malin Akerman plays a happily married woman who nonetheless finds herself accompanying her husband (Vince Vaughn) and a group of friends to Bora Bora for some intensive relationship therapy. Akerman’s character, Ronnie, is the archetypal wife: two kids, loads of self-sacrifice and few (voiced) complaints. As Ronnie, she says that all young girls dream about their weddings and honeymoons, but the real Malin Akerman spent most of her life completely disenchanted with matrimony.

Before hitting it big in Hollywood, the winsome actress worked as a bartender, where she frequently suffered one-liners and drunken advances. When a would-be suitor tried this tired line on her: Your dad must have been a thief—because he stole the stars and put them in your eyes, she knew what to do. “In that time there was a telephone number you could give out, and it’s the Official Rejection Line. It was amazing. ‘Oh here, take my number’, and when you call that number an actual voice message says ‘you have officially been rejected’. It was awesome!”

Hooking up with one-liner wielding bon vivants wasn’t Akerman’s idea of a good time, but neither was marriage. When she reached university her studies in psychology inspired her to question the logic of monogamy. “We’re all animals,” she says, “and I don’t know if we’re supposed to be monogamous or if it’s made up”. But that was all before she met her husband, drummer Roberto Zincone. Then, says the actress, “it was all over.”

Although attraction is key, Akerman acknowledges that relationships require more than passion to survive. Communication is fundamental. “If you have two people who are very defensive and stubborn and not willing to listen, then it’s very hard.” Trust is also essential for any couple, but is particularly important in her relationship. “I’m travelling and my husband travels—he’s a musician—and if you don’t have the trust, forget about it. Just end it. Because if someone doesn’t trust you, then why are you fighting for it?”

Luckily Akerman has plenty of trust, and judging from the dreamy look she assumes when discussing her man, a lot of love as well. She says that although she hasn’t required personal or relationship therapy, she has seen it transform her friends. She jokes, “Who knows, maybe down the road I’ll need it?” But rather than waiting around for that possibility, Akerman and Zincone keep their romance fresh by sharing meals together, and by following his parents’ example. The best couple she knows, they’ve kept it together for 40 years, and still laugh, joke and check each other out. “I’ve got a good start,” she laughs, “I’m married to their son, so I’ve got an idea of how it works.” 

In the unlikely event that this happy couple ever does need therapy, we hear Bora Bora is the place to go.

Couples Retreat is on DVD and Blu-Ray February 5.