Rating PG
Length 1h39
Release 09.06.2006
Director Frank Coraci
About Bob Munro rents an RV and takes his dysfunctional family on a road trip to the Colorado Rockies. However, midway he realises that the brakes of the vehicle aren’t functioning well.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime
Trailer:
The Good
Baby Josh Hutcherson is really adorable to watch as the youngest of the Munro family on a typical family vacation film. It’s a perfectly great performance for a kid actor, but the novelty here is watching it knowing how much of a successful career he’s had.
There is a charm to the exploration of the family unit and Bob’s attempts to reconnect, while not really being all in himself. It all builds towards a really heartfelt final act.
Jeff Daniels and Kristen Chenoweth truly steal every single scene they’re in. Yeah, I have a true soft spot for Daniels, but I honestly couldn’t think of anyone better going up against Robin Williams.
Kristen Chenoweth is just a consistent charm and what I love most of all is her quirky brightness that actually compliments Cheryl Hines’ much more straight laced matriarch.
The Bad
I love Robin Williams, I honestly do. However the ‘parent’ role like the one he has in R.V have the heavy cringe moments like the ones when he’s trying to be ‘cool’. I almost wish that Robin Williams had the Gornicke role as Jeff Daniels would have perhaps given the exasperated patriarch a little more balance.
Other films have been there, and done that before. The Great Outdoors, Vacation, We’re the Millers, Cheaper by the Dozen 2. They’ve all covered this ground, clashed with other families and destroyed vehicles or property in funnier ways than this toothless, groan-worthy option.
The Ugly
There are way too many toilet and poop ‘jokes’ of varying levels of grossness. The worst one involves the disastrous evacuation of the septic tank. After the third or fourth toilet joke, don’t be too alarmed if you’re nauseated; I certainly was.
Final Thoughts
I can think of worse films to watch, but I certainly won’t be in a rush to see it again. It certainly wouldn’t make any of the actor’s top 5 performances. Well, except for maybe JoJo who seemed to decide after 2006, acting wasn’t for her.
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