‘We’re The Millers’ Review: A Modern Take On National Lampoon’s Vacation

To say We’re The Millers is hilarious would be an understatement considering how dysfunctional the characters are. British star Will Poulter – an immediate standout — is featured in one of the funniest scenes revolving around a nasty accident that involves a prosthetic. Supporting cast members Kathryn Hahn and Nick Offerman deliver most of the gags as The Fitzgeralds – a seemingly straight couple who doesn’t smoke or drink, but are open to swinging with other uninhibited human beings. And then there’s Ed Helms – a wannabe gangster, which obviously is a joke in itself — because… well, it’s the ridiculously geeky Ed Helms for Christ’s sake! Such a description alone should make you want to see the movie regardless of how preposterous it sounds.

The story centers on David Clark (Jason Sudeikis) – a small-time pot dealer in Colorado who is robbed of his stash and personal savings after a good deed gone wrong. Frustrated and in debt to his supplier, Clark agrees to smuggle an undisclosed amount of narcotics across the Mexican border in exchange for the lost wages. To complete the pick-up, David must first devise a plan that won’t make him look suspicious while transporting the shipment, so he decides to rent a motor home and load it up with his family, to ensure getting past U.S. customs is a breeze. The idea sounds simple enough until he inherits more than he bargained for: two metric tons of high-grade, and four conflicting personalities that can’t stand the sight of each other. But that should be expected when the pretend dad hates his wife and the kids constantly bicker, since ¾ of The Miller clan consists of random people from Clark’s neighborhood.

While the concept is completely nonsensical and none of the main characters would ever be caught dead in the presence of one another, that’s exactly the point of the film. It’s not meant to be taken seriously at all. Therefore, to enjoy a movie like this it is imperative that viewers disregard the plot, leave any expectations at the door, and of course, keep an open mind. Because when Jennifer Aniston (cast as a stripper down on her luck) gets hired to play a make-believe housewife to a loose-mouthed virgin who has the hots for his bratty runaway sister, what could go wrong? Besides being pulled over by a gay cop soliciting oral sex from a teenager, about two hours worth of shenanigans ensue, but don’t expect any more details in this review.

The bottom line is this: successful comedies strive to achieve one goal: making sure the audience laughs nonstop. And though We’re The Millers doesn’t cover any new comedic ground, Rawson Marshall Thurber’s latest R-rated action-comedy is a total gut-buster, as this unpredictable family vacation provides more than a few outbursts.

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