National Lampoon's European Vacation

What happens when a moron takes a road trip around Europe.

Starring Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Dana Hill and Jason Lively.

Written by John Hughes and Robert Klane,

Directed by Amy Heckerling.

I chose this oldie to watch on New Year's Eve with my family.

It's a fun movie and kept us entertained while we waited for Big Ben to chime in the new year. We all had a good chuckle and I think we all enjoyed it. I don't know what was funnier, the script or the eighties clothes!

A fun way to see in the New Year,

7/10

OK, was this the best Vacation sequel? No, not really. But it still had a great amount of a laughter. I can't believe that some people really didn't like this film. Don't you have moments where you just want to sit down and laugh? Don't think, just laugh and have a good time with the film? The Griswalds are back and they are in Europe! They have won an excellent trip to London, Paris, Germany(they don't state where), and Rome. Of course they do manage to get into trouble, otherwise it wouldn't be a comedy. Clark still has the "father-knows-best" policy and becomes more obsessed with having a good time with the family than listening to them and their ideas. Ellen has become a famous naked model in Europe because of some undeleted footage that was stolen from Clark on his camera. Rusty is opting for a lot of booty in Europe and Audrey just won't shut up about a not all that boyfriend, Jack.

This movie has non-stop laughter that you have to admit is catchy. They did recycle some jokes from the first, but I think you need to let go and have some fun. This was an enjoyable film.

7/10

I like all National Lampoon movies with Chase. This one is no different. It's really a fun ride through Europe, with all the things you'd expect. It's a family story at its core, with the main guy leading his family on excursions. The wife is such a hottie. It's a great time in Europe, though not the best. Has it's boring parts.

6 stars

I have seen this movie many times and although it is nearly 20 years old, it still makes me laugh.Europe as experienced by an American family is very funny and even people who are offended by the so-called lack of respect towards the old continent, should agree that the typical characteristics of the English, French, Germans and Austrians are true to life, although admittedly slightly exaggerated.It's an unpretentious movie which aims at offering a better form of slapstick. Chevy Chase with his mixture of good intentions and bewilderment is always hilarious. One good piece of advice: NEVER go to Austria and watch the guys doing those typical male dances in their short leather pants.After having seen this movie, you will be subjected to hysterical laughter!

`Pig in a Poke' is the newest game show in the US. Families dress up in pig costumes and answer questions. At the end, they can be pigs and win a great prize. And who's starring on it? Why, none other than our favorite family the Griswalds (spelled differently in this one than the others)! After a close competition with resident champions the Froegers, they win a European vacation. Audrey (Dana Hill) doesn't want to leave behind her boyfriend Jack (William Zabka), and Rusty (Jason Lively) just doesn't want to go. They do, reluctantly, but this two week vacation doesn't go without a hitch.

2nd released in the series, and usually considered least of the series, which I go with. Simply, it's not as funny as the others: Vacation, Christmas Vacation, and Vegas Vacation. It tries to be more raucous and irreverent than the others. It doesn't have a central grasp on any one plot. They go across Europe, but there's nothing that connects all of the destinations. For instance, in Vacation there was Aunt Edna; Christmas Vacation, it actually had a real plot, and in Vegas Vacation there were a few subplots, but they all went through.

All that isn't to say that it wasn't funny, it's just not as funny as the other three. As heard from Chevy Chase on the subpar DVD commentary, he wishes to do another Vacation movie. I would like to see that. Many of the laughs came from slapstick and pratfalls, which aren't my favorite types of humor. Some of them were predictable (they go to Stonehenge…guess what?), but some of the gags (like on the train to Rome) were nice.

The MPAA wrongly gave this movie its PG-13 rating. It most definitely should have been rated R. The writers, which include veteran John Hughes, must have tried to keep the humor in the PG-13 range, because they didn't `rough it up' as much as they wanted to.

One last thought: if there was an earlier movie version of Chicago, Beverly D'Angelo would have been perfect as Roxie.

My rating: 6/10

Rated PG-13 for sustained scenes of nudity, sexual situations, teen drinking and language.