Vacation

Vacation

Starring Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Leslie Mann, Chris Hemsworth

Directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein

The Story:
Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms) doesn't have the perfect life.  He's a pilot for a very small airline chain, his wife Debbie (Christina Applegate) is bored with their marriage, and their oldest son James (Skyler Gisondo) is constantly bullied by his younger brother Kevin (Steele Stebbins).  Hoping to escape the mundane yearly vacation, Rusty decides to drive the family across the country to Wally World - a place he and his family visited 32 years earlier.

The road trip - suffice it to say - doesn't go according to plan.  They rent a strange Albanian car, get pursued by a crazed trucker, visit Debbie's old sorority house, bathe in waste, and visit Rusty's sister Audrey (Leslie Mann) and her younger, more attractive and more successful husband Stone (Chris Hemsworth).  As the vacation unravels, Rusty begins to come to terms with how terrible his life really is, and if there's a way to turn things around.

The Synopsis:
"Vacation" is another sequel from the highly successful "National Lampoon's Vacation" series, first starring Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo (who both make cameos in this film as well), which were directed by the late, great Harold Ramis and written by the equally great John Hughes.  They revolutionized comedy in the 80s, making it one of the best decades for comedic films ever.

So with the 2015 continuation, both Ramis and Hughes unfortunately were both deceased, so the torch was passed to John Francis Daley (who, at just 30, did a great job directing) and Jonathan Goldstein, who both penned a great sequel to an unforgettable series.

"The Hangover" star Ed Helms commands the film as the oddbeat, somewhat slow-witted Rusty, taking over the fatherly role Chevy Chase did so well.  He didn't do it perfectly, but comparing his performance to that of Chase is like comparing a Big Mac to a New York steak.  He brought forth the laughs, and that was enough. 

Christina Applegate steals the show as the ever-loving wife, who has a modern cultural edge that D'Angelo never did.  You'd never hear Ellen calling her kids half the names Debbie did here, and it led to very uncomfortably hilarious moments, especially when she visited her old sorority, which had me laughing so hard I went silent.  You know, that laugh when you can't even hear it.  I thought it was the best bit in the film.

Then there were the multiple cameos.  Charlie Day, Ron Livingston, Keegan-Michael Kay, Regina Hall, Nick Kroll, Tim Heidecker, Kaitlin Olson, Michael Pena and a surprising cameo from Mr. Waking Dead himself Norman Reedus.  All delivered perfect comedic performances with impeccable timing.

That's not to say the rest of the film was a bust.  Far from it, really, especially if you don't compare it to the original.  This isn't a remake or re-imagining, it is a sequel that can stand on its own merit.  Sure, the film was stupid, but that's the point.  It's what it was supposed to be.  No one was expecting any Oscar-caliber performances, moving storylines or knock-down effects.  People were expecting a comedy, and that's what they got - pure and simple.  Was it the best comedy ever made?  No.  Will it be something people will remember for decades to come?  Probably not.  Did it cause me to laugh my butt off?  Absolutely.  And for someone who isn't too fond of comedies, that's a big deal for me.

The Summary:
While not as memorable as the first "Vacation," this film still seats you in the car with the family and takes you on a hilarious, raunchy ride.

The Score: B+