The headlines leading to the release of We’re the Millers were dominated by the fact that our favorite Friends member, Jennifer Aniston, was playing a stripper -- as seen in the We're the Millers red band trailer. Sure, it is true that her character “dances” for a living. But, that is merely the set up.
Much like Jason Sudeikis portraying a pot dealer. Those are merely vehicles for this comedy written by a quartet of writers, Bob Fisher and Steve Faber (who co-wrote Wedding Crashers), and Sean Anders and John Morris (co-writers of Hot Tub Time Machine).
Sudeikis is David Clark, a low level weed dealer who happens to live in the same building as that stripper with a heart of gold, Rose O’Reilly (Aniston). Clark has an 18-year-old kid in the building, Kenny Rossmore (Will Poulter), who -- for some reason -- looks up to him. One night, when Kenny rushes to the aid of a homeless girl (Emma Roberts) outside his building, Clark reluctantly rushes in when the kid is overpowered by a trio of lowlifes.
They discover he’s a pot dealer and not only take his backpack full of drugs, but force their way into his apartment and steal tens of thousands of dollars. Unfortunately for Clark, that money (and drugs for that matter) belonged to a drug kingpin named Brad Gurdlinger (an insanely game Ed Helms). Out the money and the product, Clark has to do Gurdlinger a favor in order to make things right or he will end up dead.
Clark has to go to Mexico to bring back a “smidge” of pot for his kingpin boss. Sitting on his building’s stoop, he has no idea how it could possibly work -- fully knowing that a "smidge" has got to be pounds and pounds. Then… it hits him as an RV with the most idiotic looking family drives up and asks for directions. He needs a family and an RV… stat!
Clark recruits Roberts’ Casey, Kenny and Rose to fly with him to Tucson, Arizona to pick up the RV, drive to Mexico, pick up the drugs and make their way back over the border as a family coming home from a vacation. Sounds easy, no?
We’re the Millers is actually not a one note comedy, something too many in the genre fall prey to. It is more of a situational comedy that recalls some of the classic TV sitcoms of the past that make you nervous for the characters you’re watching, while you simultaneously laugh at their hijinx. The Miller “family” encounters situation after situation where they should be in trouble, found out, dead or arrested and through humor (for the audience at least) they manage to find their way out of it.
But… the question of whether they make it back to the U.S. is irrelevant. As most situational comedies go, We’re the Millers doesn’t pride itself on living in reality. And that is not such a bad thing. When the foursome meet a fellow RV traveling family (led by a hysterical Nick Offerman and Kathryn Hahn), their patriarch’s career is a little too convenient to believe. But, like I said, this comedy is not about reality.
We’re the Millers is at its best when making you laugh. And here’s some rare news when it comes to comedy: The humor isn’t solely in the We’re the Millers NSFW trailer. So many comedies put all their cards in the teaser. Not so with this flick.
Our We’re the Millers review finds the best part of the film is the comedic chemistry between Sudeikis and Aniston. Both are no stranger to situational humorous situations and each makes the most with the script they’re given. Perhaps it’s too many chefs in the kitchen (four writers!), but there are parts of the film that don’t feel connected to the rest.
We must admit: Movie Fanatic laughed quite a bit. But, that doesn’t necessarily make it a great movie per se. But, if a film that is nothing more than a grouped together bunch of funny bits works for you, then We’re the Millers will be one enjoyable ride.