We're the Millers

We're the Millers (2013)

Okay, this seems like just another goofy comedy, but it's pretty great. It's funny, has lots of fun twists, and some good comic lines. But more than that, it creates a kind of intimacy and sense of real family (a sense of it) that makes you realize what family is all about. Yeah, unlikely, I know, but it works. When the two "fake" parents start to act like real ones, it's funny but also moving.

Who woulda thought?

It's hard to say who pulls this off—clearly the "parents" are terrific, Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudeikis. And the two kids are pretty good too, if clichéd. But what makes it all happen is the breezy comic writing. The basic set up is filled with clichés, and you have to like corny humor to really enjoy the play on these. So there are drug lords and immigrations officials. There are dorky RV tourists and clueless bystanders everywhere. But kick back and don't' expect too much and be surprised.

And don't miss the bloopers in the final credits. Among them is a great moment where they play the theme to "Friends" on the RV radio, and it seems to catch Aniston by surprise. Group admiration.