Review of Vacation (2015) by Violinguy88 — 10 Aug 2015

Two things stood out when I watched Vacation - first, this film does not resemble any of the original films in any way except in its characters; and second - it is, despite its many failings, a pretty funny movie.

Those expecting to see the good clean fun of the original films will be sorely disappointed. This film, while quite funny at times, is extremely R-rated. It's almost as if the filmmakers decided that they were going to get an R rating anyways, so why not go for it. The language was astounding, even in the opening music (it reminded me a bit of Office Space in its use of explicit gangster rap). And don't even get me started on the pedophile jokes. They were everywhere, and I even caught myself laughing during the big "reveal" toward the end with a hilarious guest star. Then I turned to my wife and said, "Wait, that's not funny at all.".

The film did have lots of laughs, but the story was a bit predictable. There were attempts at seriousness here and there, but they only detracted from the film rather than add any emotional strings to pull at. The kids in the film are good, but their conflict is resolved in a very strange and unfunny way. The addition of Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo was nice, but Chevy looked tired and his ol' reliable clumsy gags were forced.

Let me also say that Ed Helms is (and has always been) a superior comedic talent. If not for him, this film would be complete garbage. He gives 100% throughout and delivers a terrific performance. And yes, he even sings. Again.

So, while this movie is being killed by the critics, it is certainly worth a look if you want some cheap, profane, and gross laughs. Ed Helms is a star, even in a film as flawed as this one.