Review of RV (2006) by Filipeneto — 15 Nov 2018

Sometimes, comedies turn out to be real tragedies but, on other occasions, they can even exceed our expectations. "RV" was definitely better than I expected, although it wasn't a masterpiece. In fact, it wasn't made to be a masterpiece, just to have fun and provide good laughs. And that, let's face it, the film does perfectly.

The script is simple: a rich but workaholic dad, who spends little time with his family, will be forced for professional reasons on a road trip to Colorado. So, he decides to hide from the family the true purpose of the trip, in order to respond to their criticism about the lack of family time. But the idea strongly displeases everyone, because the initial plan was a luxurious trip to Hawaii, not a caravan trip to Nowhere. From here, anything can happen... In fact, the simple idea of a rich family making a hard road trip that could do, with all the luxury, by other means, is rather funny. Jokes are great and most of them were made with class and the script is effective enough to base everything else in a solid way. The most palpable problem here is that the overwhelming majority of jokes are too predictable.

About the cast, Robin Williams stands out clearly and dominates the film like a giant. He was a master of comedy and, sometimes, his expressiveness (not just his body or face, but especially his voice) was enough to make us laugh. "Jojo" Lavesque is clearly not an actress, nor does she want to be, but she seems willing to take chances in the movies when they arise. Her work wasn't brilliant, but she's able to fulfil what's necessary. Josh Hutcherson, on the other hand, seemed to me more promising, doing a good performance just like Cheryl Hines. Kristin Chenoweth and Jeff Daniels were excellent. In fact, this pair of actors was so capable of shining that it made a good counterpoint to Williams' inspired performance.

Despite being far from excellent, "RV" is a very enjoyable film and will certainly be a success if it's chosen for a family afternoon, on a rainy day, where it is best to stay at home, for example.