Des vacances désastreuses

I replay enjoyed this movie, it reminds me of Adam Sandler movies. It was really funny to watch with my family. I will give it a month and rewatch. Critics commended the film's humor, scenic South African setting, and the chemistry among the cast. The story, while simple, resonates with families, offering both laughs and touching moments. It's been described as perfect for a cozy family movie night, balancing comedy with meaningful messages . Disaster Holiday (2024), directed by Rethabile Ramaphakela, is a family comedy that premiered on December 13, 2024, on Netflix. The film follows a workaholic father who attempts to bond with his kids by disguising a work trip to Durban as a family road trip. Chaos ensues as the dual-purpose vacation tests his ability to balance personal and professional commitments.

I realized while going through my yearly recap that I hadn't watched any African films this year, so I decided to check out this one directed by Rethabile Ramaphakela. I noticed that only two of my Letterboxd friends had seen it, and they both rated it just one star! Still, I was curious enough to give it a shot, and I'm glad I did. "Disaster Holiday" is a South African family road trip movie that mixes humor with family drama pretty well. It's set during what's supposed to be a perfect vacation, but things quickly spiral out of control for this family looking for a chill getaway. While Ramaphakela's direction isn't groundbreaking, it's polished enough to keep you engaged. The script could use a bit more sharpness and wit, but honestly, it wasn't too bad!

On the visual side, the film beautifully showcases its South African backdrop, with stunning cinematography that enhances the story. The vibrant scenery really highlights the chaos that unfolds, driving home the film's message about finding happiness even when things go south.

Overall, it's a film that offers some light entertainment while also making you think about life's unpredictability and the value of family connections.

Very well done, acting is top notch. Robin Williams premise is reworked a bit as there is no RV only an SUV, but the rest is the same. It's a nice family show however, and his antagonist is wonderfully annoying. The pit falls, too much luggage, bathroom breaks, aggravating siblings, and road hazards are hilarious and well timed. We've all been there! Will he make it to the meeting with a great pitch or be left without a job? His family is unaware of the real reason their plans have been changed from Zanzibar to Durban and he tries to keep everyone in the dark about it. Will his family finally call him Baba instead of by his first name of Joseph? Will they rally around him in the end to provide the support he needs to make his pitch successful? Watch and find out! Enjoy the journey as much as we did!

It makes me happy to see movies from other countries not only make movies and have them distributed in a place people like me can find them, but also that they don't just make pertinent social dramas and avant-garde stuff but glossy fluff like this.

I've begin several South African movies lately and sort of forgotten to finish them but this holds the attention well enough.

There is a bombastic, paint by numbers charm in this familiar formula of a father trying to balance to the pressures of capitalism with the pressures of patriarchy i.e., in trying to actually be close to his disenfranchised family.

A lot of it is that predictable humor where someone ignores blatantly good advice and pays the price. I suppose we're supposed to be fine with it because they sort of deserve it but I've seen so much of this anyway.

I like how they switch between English and Zulu diglossically and how his new wife speaks sometimes in Xhosa. Sometimes they use an Afrikaans phrase if the subtitles are to be believed.

This movie will do little to surprise you except in how oddly watchable it is.

Needless to say that I was not familiar with the 2024 South African comedy "Disaster Holiday" from writer and director Rethabile Ramaphakela prior to sitting down and watching it. But I figured that since it was a comedy, then chances were fair for it being a worthwhile movie.

Well, the storyline sort of fell short of being funny. There weren't really much of anything that made me laugh throughout the course of the 93 minutes that the movie ran for. I am not saying that it was a bad movie, because it certainly was watchable, but it just wasn't a funny movie. So I have to say that I was somewhat disappointed with the outcome of the storyline.

Of course I was not familiar with the cast ensemble in the movie. And being unfamiliar with the cast ensemble is actually something I enjoy whenever I watch a movie. I will say that the acting performances in the movie were fair.

The going back and forth between English and whatever language they were speaking in the movie was sort of straining to sit through. Pick one or the other, as it makes for a more streamlined viewing experience.

While I did manage to sit through the entire movie, I was not overly entertained. And this is definitely not a movie that I will be returning to watch a second time.

My rating of writer and director Rethabile Ramaphakela's 2024 movie "Disaster Holiday" lands on a four out of ten stars.