Vacation (I) (2015) User Reviews

A surprising trip to the movies

[beepeewee · 6/10 · 31 August 2015]

Let's be honest.

Vacation isn't one of those must see movie blockbusters, and would probably be one of the last choices for anyone to watch for the month.

On the other hand, its much easier to arrange a group movie outing as the chances of everyone watching that is pretty low ;)

The ratings for this particular movie are quite bad(reference Rottentomatoes), which is no surprise as most crude comedies are rated so. It wasn't as crude as I expected it to be though.(then again maybe thats because it was moderated in Singapore)

To sum it up, we went in with low expectations. But! I could hear the hall filled with laughter through-out the movie! and we came out smiling and discussing about the funny parts as well. All in all an enjoyable movie experience :)

Yes, it's not gonna win any awards or sure. but for anyone looking for a light-hearted movie packed with laughter, WATCH THIS! :D I was honestly afraid of drinking my soda for fear of spurting it out from laughter.

This Poor's man vacation was still pretty funny! Typical to every Griswold family trip, Hilarity Ensues. It's worth the trip!

[ironhorse_iv · 6/10 · 3 September 2015]

Once again, the film follows the misadventures of the Griswold family, trying to reach their vacation destination. This time, it's Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms), all grown up and with a family of his own. Idealizing past events, Rusty hopes to reconnect with his wife, Debbie (Christina Applegate), and his two kids, James (Skyler Gisondo) and Kevin (Steele Stebbins), by planning a cross country trip to Wally World. On the way, there, the group encounters several missteps that can only bring their family, closer or farer apart. Can Rusty save his marriage and bond with his children or will the chaos of the trip, be, too much for them, to handle? Watch the movie to find out! Without spoiling the movie, too much, I found this 2015 road trip comedy directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein was somewhat hilarious. Serving as both a reboot and a sequel to the National Lampoon's Vacation series, I like how the movie has direct recalls to the original four films; 1983's National Lampoon's Vacation, 1985's National Lampoon's European Vacation, 1989's National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and last, 1997's Vegas Vacation. Not only that, it has references to the 2003's TV-movie spin off, Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure & 2010's short film, Hotel Hell Vacation. I love all the similar jokes or previous film character cameos. While the movie has all those callbacks, I like how the film was also giving its own vibe. Most of the film's set pieces and locations are different, from the original film, so they're plenty of new humor, coming out of it. Unlike the 1983 version, this Rusty-led version of Vacation has more toilet humor jokes that might be a little too gross for some viewers. For me, I found the overtly raunchy scatological humor, somewhat amusing. It really hit the funny bone. Vacation is also chock full of overtly raunchy crass humor, coarse comments, sexual references, and constant strong language. Still, there were some jokes that really did bug me. Most of them, came from Kevin character. He's supposed to be a little kid, but instead comes off as a complete unwatchable sociopath. The jokes about the truck driver wanting to rape children, the whole plastic bag gag and the mean-spirited jokes from him, are frequently crosses the line into Dude, Not Funny! Territory! His character really hurts the film. Other jokes that fell flat, was cause, by the film quickly abandoning subplots: such as Rusty's brother-in-law, TV anchorman Stone Crandall (Chris Hemsworth) being an extreme conservative. While, some of his jokes were left hanging. Chris Hemsworth still have a very amusing role. I just wish, they had more jokes for his wife, Aubrey (Leslie Mann). She seem underused in the film. Amid the crude/over-the-top content are some positive messages about steadfast marriages and the idea that vacations form lasting impressions on kids. The acting is pretty good. While, Ed Helms might not be playing the same persona of that of the previous Rustys, he honed this role. I like his in-over-his-head normal positive thinking, father know best attitude. He was very likable. He delivers some great, funny reactionary moments throughout the film. Christina Applegate is amazing in her role. I like how her character was able to play to play, into the laughs, as well. In fact, one of the film's funniest moments, was her chug-run sequence. The like of supporting characters played by Keegan-Michael Key, Charlie Day, Michael Pena, Norman Reedus and many others, make this movie, a lot funnier than it could had. As much as the critics, might think, the appearance of Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo toward the end, as lackluster. I have to disagree with them. It was nice to see the two, play their roles, once again. Pretty much all of these cameos are used well, offering a solid comedy beat. I also love that Lindsay Buckingham's 1983 hit single, "Holiday Road", the theme song to most of the Vacation series, is include with this film. Overall: While, the movie could quite capture the inspired lunacy of the original John Hughes-written/Harold Ramis-directed film. However, this remake did pretty well for itself. As long, as you don't take it, took serious. You might like it, too. It's time to take a Vacation, indeed!

Better than I expected it to be

[utgard14 · 6/10 · 11 October 2015]

Reboot to the National Lampoon's Vacation series that's also a sequel of sorts. Rusty Griswold is all grown up with kids of his own and decides to take them to Walley World like his dad did with their family all those years ago. The results are just as chaotic, if never quite as funny. Remakes, reboots, etc. are always tough to make work (as they should be) but this one does surprisingly OK. It's not a patch on the first few Vacation films with Chevy Chase (who has an unfunny appearance late in this movie) but it is good in its own way. Ed Helms and Christina Applegate provide few of the laughs, which hurts more than anything since they are the leads. Most of the successful humor comes from the guest stars like Chris Hemsworth and the two kids playing the sons, Steele Stebbins and Skyler Gisondo. Stebbins is especially funny and easily the best part of the movie. To the movie's credit, it doesn't simply do a scene-for-scene remake and tries to make its own mark. But years of road trip comedies, many of which were inspired by the original Vacation, makes this feel more than a little familiar. Still, it's watchable and provides some laughs if you're in the right mood.

Better than expected!

[ethearder · 7/10 · 12 March 2021]

As corny and silly as the 80s Vacation movies were in the best ways possible. I was expecting another lame attempt at rebooting a franchise. Worth the watch. Solid laugh out loud moments.

It's a Very Raunchy/Crude Vacation film meets We're the Millers, Hilarious!

[GhostHunter12 · 6/10 · 31 July 2015]

I thought this movie was the most fun and most funniest I've seen in a while at the movies. I saw this Opening Night and I was very skeptic and worried because I loved the trailers but I've seen other comedies in the past were the trailers were so funny but the movie overall wasn't funny and was so disappointing. The story follows Rusty Griswold as he takes his family on a road-trip vacation to Walley World because he went there when he was a kid with his family and he wants to reconnect with his family and spice things up with his Wife. I thought this was the funniest movie I have seen since The Wedding Ringer, which came out in January of this year. I'm a big Vacation films fan and I was so excited about the son taking over Clark's place and Ed Helms succeeded big time as Rusty Griswold. It was great seeing Christina Applegate in this film as Rusty's wife and as well of course seeing Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo return. It was also surprising to see Leslie Mann as Audrey, Rusty's Sister, Chris Hemsworth as her Husband and nice seeing a few surprising people appear. The kids in the movie did a great job but the small kid needed his mouth cleaned out, he used a lot of language in the film. The story was so relate-able and was so much fun to see and watch. This Vacation movie also reminded me as well of the 2013 Hit-Summer road trip comedy "We're the Millers" which I also loved. Parents should not bring their Teenagers and their young kids, this is not appropriate for teens under 17 because of the constant language, some nudity and the raunchy/crude sexual humor/situations. There was moments in the film where it was awkward and sorta uncomfortable but it was a good, fun, funny movie. There has been so many bad reviews, complaints for this movie since it's been filming, it's not a remake or a reboot people, it's basically a continuation after "Vegas Vacation." There was maybe one or two slow parts in the movie but besides that, I loved this movie. If you want to go see this and have a good, fun time, this is the movie to come to, don't come to this movie very serious and expecting it not to be funny because trust me, it's hilarious. I'm going to see it again in a few days and I can't wait to watch it again. Vacation deserves a lot more praise because it's such a funny, funny movie and it's probably this years "We're the Millers." Hilarious, fun movie!!!!!

Not as Good as the Original but It's Still Not Bad!

[dgattis5 · 7/10 · 2 August 2015]

I grew up watching the "Vacation" movies, regardless of the fact that some of them are a little raunchy! When I first heard of this movie, I thought it was a remake, but it is actually a sequel with a very similar plot to the first movie. Of course the movie wasn't anywhere near as good as the original, but it still wasn't that bad! I just wish that they would have toned down the raunchiness a little bit because none of the original "Vacation" movies were so profane and unsanitary! I also hoped that Chevy Chase and Beverly D'angelo would have had bigger parts in this movie. They're only in it for maybe five minutes! Other than that, the film was pretty good! It had a decent story structure, the character development was great, and it was hilarious from start to finish! I would give this movie a chance for those of you who haven't seen it!

Charmless, unredeemable.

[stahlman-2 · 1/10 · 26 November 2015]

Let me start by saying that I enjoy crude humor. I loved The Hangover, Old School, SuperBad, etc. But "Vacation" is flat out obnoxious and unfunny. Not a single laughable moment. I didn't even find myself smirking at any point. It was that awful. Not even the nostalgia of the old "Vacation" movies could save this atrocity. The script seemed like it was written by spastic 13 year old juvenile delinquents. When the script wasn't obnoxious it was simply just uncreative. The car was so over-the-top that it was eye-roll inducing. The angry Korean voice on the GPS was unoriginal and cliché. Helms and Christina Applegate should quit acting, out of shame.

I laughed my ars off.

[ThomDerd · 9/10 · 22 July 2020]

Crazy, hilarious things happen in this very funny film. Raunchy comedy remake which is funnier than the original; contemporary humor, easier to follow and with multiple Ed Helms freak out moments. Yes, there are things in there which are hard-to-believe but who cares? This is a fictional comedy and not a documentary. Good cast, good cameos, funny jokes, odd situations and overall great entertainment; that's what you can expect from this movie. The rating is too low here-very unfair. This is a great raunchy comedy which you might watch again and again! 9/10

It's worth checking out,even if only out of curiosity

[landrykkb · 7/10 · 13 September 2015]

I never went to see this movie with the expectation that it was going to top or at least compare to the original,so maybe that's why I wasn't disappointed in it like obviously many others here and in general were.The 1983 Vacation that kick-started this franchise was even better than the sequels that followed,and I'm honestly one of the few people in this world who didn't see the appeal of Christmas Vacation beyond that one scene with Bing Crosby's Hawaiian Christmas song.Anyhow,this was a decent reboot with a now-adult Rusty Griswold with his own family.The crude,adulterated humor and foul language in this one is not so over-the-top in this day and age as it would have been 32 years ago had it been prevalent then.Ed Helms was a great choice for the role of Rusty as was Christina Applegate as his wife Debbie.On top of her obvious risqué humor that we know she conveys so well on screen,she can play the straight woman convincingly enough that you forget for a brief moment that she was "Kelly Bundy" on "Married With Children" 3 decades prior.While I won't exaggerate by giving this modernization of Vacation 10 stars out of 10,it definitely deserves 7 for sticking with tradition and yet standing out on its own in a Hollywood that's become too formulaic.

Terrible movie - worst jokes ever and not suitable for any children

[filmtravel101 · 1/10 · 1 September 2015]

It is hard to imagine that this horrible script got the green lit esp with such a huge budget. The two main writers should be fired from ever writing anything ever again. A real pathetic attempt with each joke not working at all and making the parents look like imbeciles with no payoff yet maybe this is the reality of what Americans like to watch and behave like. Makes you wonder what kind of message the writers want to send out there on parents using comedy. Not funny at all.. and it had no flow whatsoever like the other Chevy Chase movies. The movie felt like it never got out of first gear.. literally. I give it a Zero since only a 1 is possible. Don't waste your time or money.

Grossly Underrated

[carlitobandito · 9/10 · 14 June 2018]

Seriously, if everyone would just chill tfo about wanting to compare this version with the original version, you would find this movie is hilarious. First time in years I didn't want to punch Ed Helms in the face after watching him in a movie. The two actors who play the boys in the movie are great. But the gem and queen of this movie is Christina Applegate.

All in all, a really funny movie, a lot better than internet trolls have shown it. I just hope the 100 million worldwide gross will generate a remake of Xmas Vacation.

I will admit that Chris Hemsworth, Charlie Day, Kaitlyn Olson, Michael Pena, Nick Kroll, either Key or Peele, are great in their own small role way. However, this movie does not provide the Cousin Ed role made famous by Canadian truffle sniffer Randy Quaid.

Evidence that the wrong people travel.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 31 December 2020]

Rusty certainly is Clark's son, going from Anthony Michael Hall in the first film to Ed Helms here, a pilot for a third rate airline, now married to the outwardly motherly Christina Applegate whose secretly still a party girl inside. They have two sons ( Skyler Gisondo, Steele Stebbins) who obviously despise each other (the YOUNGER brother is the bully in the most hysterically funny offensive way), and it's not just Helm who embarrasses the kids, Applegate does too. This is especially obvious when they stop by her alma mater where she tries to prove she's one of the cool kids after she learns that her reputation had lived on.

Helm decides to liven things up by repeating his childhood vacation to none other than Wally World and there are several repeat situations done with a more modern perspective. One thing where it is certainly not modern is in its comic style which is closer to "Family Guy" with its no stone unturned in delicious gross out gags that had me yowling in delight and going "eew!" over and over as I howled. This is one of those comedies where the gags need to be discovered fresh with no spoilers as they are beyond description.

Rusty's sister Audrey (played by Leslie Mann) also appears, brought up obviously liberal but married to the very Republican Chris Hemsworth, a good ole' boy who finds pleasure by feeding his prize steer beef ribs. Hemsworth leaves nothing to the imagination, proving that lots of things in Texas are big...well maybe not some brains. Older brother Gisindo keeps on encountering a nice girl also traveling that younger brother Stebbins keeps harassing every chance he gets.

This was a perfect way to end 2020, so hysterically funny that I couldn't even pick out one scene as my favorite. Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo appear in cameos as their characters from the four other movies, and it reminded me of how much I've missed the still sultry D'Angelo. If you ever need a break from the real world or the opportunity to laugh at it all in good fun, then take a trip to the updated version of the next Griswold generation. It's a trip that goes in the hall of shame along with those delicious photos in the opening with that terrifically now nostalgic vacation theme song.

mean-spirited anti-comedy

[TheMovieBro · 2/10 · 23 June 2020]

The "humor" here is that of a bully. Mean-spirited, and low iq jokes. Flies in the face of the spirit of the originals.

An insult to the 1983 Vacation with Chevy Chase.

[TxMike · 11 January 2016]

I suspected this would be a bad movie but having enjoyed the original "Vacation" with Chevy Chase, and getting a free DVD loan from my public library, I watched it on a cold day when my wife was out. She definitely did NOT want to see it.

The premise is that Rusty Griswold who was a small boy in the original now has a family and lives in Chicago. He is a pilot for a smaller regional airline, it helps assure he will be home most days so he can spend time with his wife and two sons.

He overhears his wife tell a friend that she really hates the yearly vacation they take at a camp in the woods, so Rusty decides they will do something different, a family road trip ending up at Wally World in Southern California. Their route will take them through Memphis, where they can visit his wife's old college, and through Arkansas near Hot Springs. And on to Texas where they can visit his sister.

Virtually everything that happens to them is bad. And the humor is mostly related to sex, nudity, and vomiting after chugging beer. The language is filthy all the way through, even from the youngest son. It is mostly unfunny and mostly offensive.

The lone highlight is when they make it to San Francisco to the B&B run (badly) by his parents, so we see Chevy Chase as the old man Clark Griswold and Beverly D'Angelo as the old woman Ellen Griswold. Their son's rental car had been destroyed along the way so dad loans them a car to drive to Wally World, the old station wagon the family used for the 1983 trip.

It would have been nice to see the original child actors play themselves grown up, instead we have Ed Helms as Rusty Griswold, super-nice Christina Applegate as Debbie Griswold.

A sad and profane movie, an insult to the original "Vacation", and I won't even mention the Chris Hemsworth role and his scene where he is wearing a large fake penis under his briefs, going like that into the bedroom of the Griswolds. I also won't mention the scene where the whole family thought they were in a hot springs spreading healing mud on their faces when in fact they were in a raw sewage dump spreading feces all over their faces.

A pretty poor movie, I am ashamed that I saw the whole thing.

Come watch it without expectations

[kit-78181 · 7/10 · 5 August 2015]

I was not able to watch the preview the movie, so I didn't know what to expect. I just saw Ed Helm so I thought it would be funny. This movie was funny in my opinion. It might seem more stupid when I watch it a second time. I usually don't like stupid funny, and there were plenty of stupid funny. However, those scenes made sense with the movie and I just rolled with it since the movie never gave me time to think about those stupid scene. Overall, I enjoyed the movie. It wasn't great and I probably won't remember this movie. I would probably others to red box this movie if they never seen it before.

TD

Perhaps no Summer of '15 flick embodies more American Values . . .

[oscaralbert · 7/10 · 3 August 2015]

. . . than does VACATION. If you had some foreign friends dropping by on their first visit to the U.S., you couldn't go wrong in taking them to see VACATION. This film is chock full of vital survival tips (for instance, most long-haul truckers are serial pedophiles) and timely travel advice (such as the fact that Arkansas is our wittiest state, if you substitute and "sh" for the "w"). From Sex Education (a father explaining "rim jobs" to his son) to Agribusiness (cattle are cannibals), VACATION will help U.S. newcomers to separate the rocks from the tumbleweeds. Whenever VACATION gets a whimsical opportunity to improve upon the American Dream--whether by planting a nonexistent towering waterfall inside our Grand Canyon or by plopping down an imaginary theme park next to the Santa Monica Pier--it does so. Since "bathroom humor" is widely considered to be the epitome of American wit, VACATION inserts some of it at least every two minutes. And for its climax in the "Velociraptor Ride" line, VACATION depicts the American Golden Rule: If someone else owns what you really want, just beat the living Heck out of them, and steal it!

VIEWS ON FILM review of Vacation

[burlesonjesse5 · 7/10 · 30 July 2015]

In National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), Clark W. Griswold (Chevy Chase) takes his family to Wally World and the journey is shall we say, shambolic. Thirty-two years later, we get Clark's grown-up son (played by Ed Helms) taking that same journey in Vacation (my latest review). This is comedy touted as a generational gap moment. And yet, it still feels like a remake, a same same blueprint of laughs that are forced and fantasized. No matter. In between moments of mild humor and hit-or-miss gags, what's on screen is hella funny. You get to experience a vaca that has movie R & R written all over it.

Now for all you facetious aficionados, Vacation has sequences where characters bathe in raw sewage, hang upside down in a roller coaster (that's where it stops), try to erase penis-shaped graffiti on the passenger side of their car, and run into a cow rendering it nothing but obliterated blood and guts. I laughed out loud heartily but remembered something even before the opening credits rolled (which are more offensive than what's in all of the previous Lampoon installments combined). I thought to myself, isn't the mantra of Rusty supposed to be smarter and less of a nincompoop than his dad. At least that's what I picked up with Anthony Micheal Hall, Johnny Galecki, and Jason lively (from Vacations 1, 2, and 3). Ed Helms (mentioned earlier) plays the adult version here. He's an appealing actor, he's goofy and likable (all you gotta do is look at the guy), and basically he's Ed Helms playing well, Ed Helms. Is this how middle age Russ would act? Based on the previous four flicks (six if you count two that are direct-to-video), probably not. Bottom line: I liked Vacation and I'm actually gonna recommend it (God help me). But I feel it could have been even more effective if it was a straight up remake of 1983's monster hit. You get a funny actor to reprise the Chevy Chase role, a blond, bombshell actress to reprise Beverly D'Angelo's Ellen Griswold and so on, and so on. The director yells action, the cameras roll, and everyone freely lets it rip. Just a random thought.

Anyway, 2015's Vacation tries to up the ante over all of its predecessors. It does this in terms of vacated grossness, vulgarity, and crass indignation. Two side players even suffer heinous deaths which is something I don't think I ever saw in the Christmas installment from 89', the Vegas stint from 97', and European Vacation (no dying here. A dog falls from the Eiffel Tower and survives without so much as a scratch). Directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein really want to push the envelope. Proof of this can easily be traced back to the forty-five minute mark involving co-star Chris Hemsworth (he plays Stone Crandall, Rusty's well hung brother-in-law). Just revert to Mark Wahlberg's underwear sequence in 1997's Boogie Nights and that will give you a clue.

The story of course, begins in Chicago, Illinois. And if you live in the windy city (like I do), you'll be annoyed by how certain characters get around in their respective automobiles (residents in Chi-town don't drive past the The Chicago Theatre then drive north by Wrigley field in or order to venture to Southern California). Russell "Rusty" Griswold (Helms) is a family man and a pilot for a second rate airline named Econo-Air (they do those mini flights from Chicagoland to South Bend, Indiana). He takes this job so he can spend a little more time with his family. He has two sons (the younger one is the bully, who'd thunk it), a marriage that seems on the outs, and a log cabin (in Michigan) where his clan goes for summer vacation. When he senses that his better half (Debbie Griswold played by Christina Applegate) is bored in said vacation pics, well Russell decides to quote unquote, "shake things up a bit". He wants to relive his childhood memories so he takes his family to the Wally World theme park. This expedition involves a similar blueprint akin to 1983's original. They drive through Missouri (check), stop at a strange relatives house (check), get lost and stranded in the desert (check), have uncomfortable moments in rundown hotel (check), and pass by the Grand Canyon (quintuple check). Chaos and high jinks ensue because the Griswold apple doesn't fall far from the tree. There's a scene where Debbie and Russ decide to have unsuccessful, sneak away sex via the borderline of four states. Spicy.

In conclusion, you can enjoy this thing provided you go into it with the lowest of expectations. Truth be told, I viewed the trailer a month ago and figured 2015's Vacation had almost no affiliation with the other vehicles in this long running, Warner Bros. franchise. Boy was I wrong. As a new installment with the Griswolds of a new generation (I loved the family that was cast here, especially Applegate), it has the feel of all things Lampoon. And it doesn't hurt that an extended, Chevy Chase cameo makes the proceedings that more authentic.

In addition to Chase, you get some other jocular and rather interesting guest appearances as well. Norman Reedus plays a trucker and alleged pedophile, Charlie Rich checks in as a manic rafting instructor, and Ron Livingston channels an asshat tycoon of a major 747 airline. And in case your wondering about Lindsay Buckingham's "Holiday Road" being played on Vacation's eclectic soundtrack, well don't worry. Thirty-plus years later and it's still in there. Here's my rating: A harmless three stars.

Of note: In 1983, Clark and Ellen's married couple try to get their kids to sing "Mockingbird" by James Taylor and Carly Simon. Now in 2015, Russell tries to get his kids to belt out Seal's "Kiss from a Rose". If you decide to take in a viewing, you probably won't be able to get that song out of your head.

one of the worst ever

[drgene-47433 · 1/10 · 1 August 2015]

there is no way to describe how bad this movie is. when we arrived, we were the ONLY 2 people in the theater! eventually 2 more people came in. I've read some of the positive reviews, and I can only surmise that we saw different films. there are no words to describe how horribly bad this film is. I cannot fathom how anyone associated with making it, especially the leading characters, would allow their names and careers to be associated with such a disgusting film. how many times can a 9 year old say "fuck" or vagina or some other body part out of context. swimming in feces is supposed to be funny? the humor is less than juvenile. I don't think I have ever seen my wife walk out of a movie, no matter how bad. she really wanted to see this but was ready to leave after 20 minutes. I would give this move a minus "-" rating if possible but a 1 is the only option.

I don't get the hate for this film

[brucemiddlemissphotography · 9/10 · 24 October 2022]

I truly love this film, it is one of my favourite comedies of all time. 99% of the jokes work, whether it's the rancid younger brother, the ridiculous car, the Griswold Springs scene or the cringely flirtatious Chris Hemsworth.

The critics reviews are so low it is clearly some kind of snobbery. It perfectly fits with the National Lampoons franchise it is based on.

Even though you know exactly where the jokes and scenes are going it doesn't matter as they are just so funny. Actually knowing it is coming makes them even better.

I love a high brow intellectual film but I also love fun silly comedies and this one is just that.

Don't listen to the critics give it a watch.

National Lampoon returns and probably shows its age

[Robert_duder · 7/10 · 10 August 2015]

I am a big fan of the original Vacation films and 80's comedy in general. There was something fresh and unique about those comedies and how "raunchy" they were for the time. And I happen to think we saw some of the most brilliant comedians during that decade and whether you all agree or not, Chevy Chase was part of that. He has an indelible comedic timing and his doofus, klutzy, lovable Clark Griswold is a legend. So I was cautiously optimistic about a reboot of this franchise. The concept made sense and the cast sounded good for a new generation but I wondered what it would be like. Nowadays comedies go straight for the ridiculous toilet humour and they drive it down your throat. Body functions and sex jokes and nudity and drugs and complete stupidity. Technically Vacation has a lot of that. It is raunchy (though I've seen worse in the last few years) and a lot of the gags seem really stupid but when you look closely you'll see that I think the film makers were actually trying to capture the essence of the National Lampoon films and I think they almost pull it off. I saw so much of the original ideas and gags in this film but the biggest problem is that they feel a little stale now and it doesn't really fit into nowadays very well.

Ed Helms plays Rusty Griswold, the patriarch of the family. The biggest issue with Helms' performance is that he tries too hard to be Chevy Chase. In some ways it works because he is supposed to be Chase's son but it feels too much like copying. Helms has good comic timing but he has to have someone else to play off of and no one feeds him right so he is awkward in the role. Still, I'm not sure anyone else could have done any better. Christina Applegate is Rusty's wife and she is very good in the role. She doesn't quite fit with Helms right but they have okay chemistry and this isn't her best comic role but she pulls it off decently. Both actors are trying to find their place in an average script. Skyler Gisondo and Steele Stebbins play their sons and as MANY reviewers have pointed out both boys are annoying. Stebbins go-to gag of being foul mouthed is just obnoxious and not funny at all and Gisondo's geek role is reminiscent of the far better played We're The Millers role of Kenny. Chris Hemsworth and Leslie Mann have small roles that are decent but nothing to write home about.

The thing to remember with Vacation is I honestly think they tried very hard. I have to give them kudos because I don't think this was a cash grab, I really think they wanted to pay homage to the original series, reboot it for a new generation and make something memorable. I can see why some people (especially the younger generation) would not like this at all because it does have the same vibe of the original films and in fact has some gags that you simply wouldn't get without seeing the original. You have two guys who co-wrote the script and co-directed and neither one have virtually any experience directing. Jon Goldstein and John Daley try very hard but I don't think they have what it takes at this point to really make this stand out. The film feels too dry and stale and messy. It needs a lot of editing and a lot of experience for someone to fine tune this into what it should have been. I still enjoyed it for what it was and I was able to see the respect paid to the originals. I was most excited to see Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo in cameo roles and both were very small and Chase seemed completely out of place. So if you're a big fan of the National Lampoon's classic then you'll get something out of it, otherwise its mostly a miss. 7/10

People found this funny????

[richnew-63919 · 1/10 · 8 August 2021]

Have they watched same movie? Like a really bad TV movie remake with added swearing. Just watch the original.

Ridicoulous, stupid, offensive and dreadful..... would watch again!

[jonathan-kj-2010 · 8/10 · 14 August 2015]

Despite the movie is a over the top comedy that is ridiculous and sometimes straight out offensive and disgusting, the movie makes you laugh. I haven't laughed like this for a good while, so it does however do its job as a comedy. if you are however looking for a calm comedy that takes itself a little bit serious..... stay away XD It contains offensive jokes, foul language (often from the small ones) over-dramatic scenes with plot twists, scrap that! there is plot twists everywhere, but the movie is for some reason able to keep you entertained as you try to pick up all the popcorn you dropped on the floor after laughing hysterically from a really bad line that just turns even more awkward as the other character replies back. A must watch mess for the ones that needs a good laugh, and bring a friend. It makes the movie 10 time better when a cheap but funny line comes up and both of you can relate XD

It's funnier than I expected.

[subxerogravity · 6/10 · 1 August 2015]

You can't help to be skeptical when you hear they're going to remake something that worked so successfully the first time around, but then I herd that the movie was going to focus on Rusty Griswold, and his family making this as much a sequel or spin-off as it is a reboot.

Rusty remembers the original Vacation to Wally World with such fondness that he takes his family on a road trip to the theme park as a way to spice up their annual vacation.

the movie acts mostly as a series of sketches and gags paste together to make a movie, but each gag makes me giggle and in some cases I laughed out loud.

Their decisions to make a rated R film helps a lot as well.

Chris Hemsworth was great in the movie. The beautiful Aussie got to show he was more than a pretty face with muscles and did a little comedy that had me rolling on the floor.

Me personally, the movie works better if I think of it as a Spin-off than a reboot. It's never going to live up to the original, but it's a fine sequel.

Embarrassing

[laszloszekely · 1/10 · 31 January 2021]

The worst comedy I've ever seen. 1 in 10 jokes are good. The quarrels between the brothers are terrible! The little brother is not funny, he is more of an idiot. ...it was as if it was written by a preschooler...

This movie features Chris Hemsworth, Michael Peña, etc... Why?

Passing The Torch

[stevendbeard · 6/10 · 29 July 2015]

I saw "Vacation", starring Ed Helms-The Hangover movies, Meet Dave; Christina Applegate-The Anchorman movies, Mars Attacks!; Skyler Gisondo-The Amazing Spider-Man movies, Four Christmases; Steele Stebbins-A Haunted House 2, Metered; Chris Hemsworth-The Thor & Avengers movies, A Perfect Getaway and Leslie Mann-The Other Woman, Drillbit Taylor.

I guess you could call this a sequel to the 1983 Vacation movie. It is sort of like they are passing the torch for a new generation. Ed plays a grown up Rusty, the son of Chevy/Clarke Griswold and yes, Chevy & Beverly D'Angelo do make an appearance, although Randy Quaid/Cousin Eddie does not- I think he was in jail or something. Anyway, Ed plays a pilot for an economy airline company-their slogan is something like, We're working hard to regain your trust!-and he wants to reconnect with his family by changing up their normal boring vacation at their cabin in the woods and relive his unforgettable childhood trip to Wally World. Christina plays his wife, Skyler is his oldest son and Steele is his younger son. Skyler is nerdy and always being picked on by his younger brother, Steele. Steele also cusses a lot. Ed rents an Albanian hybrid car, which is hilarious because of the high tech gadgets and language barrier that come along with it. On their cross country road trip, they make lots of stops and nothing ever goes according to plan. One stop is at his sister Audrey's place. She is played by Leslie and Chris plays her husband. Chris is pretty funny here. I guess he enjoyed doing comedy for a change. There are several cameos scattered throughout the movie; I remember seeing Colin Hanks, Charlie Day, Norman Reedus, Keegan-Michael Key and Ron Livingston. Oh yeah, they did use the old familiar Lindsey Buckingham song, Holiday Road. It's rated "R" for language and sexual content-including nudity-and has a running time of 1 hour & 39 minutes. I enjoyed it and would buy it on DVD.