Movie Review by EDF
Stars: Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston, Emma Roberts
Director: Rawson Marshall Thurber
In WE’RE THE MILLERS. the trailer has done the work for anyone who is not even remotely interested in watching the movie. A lot of the plot is featured in the near three minute trailer, that showed a load of cringe worthy jokes and it basically seemed flatter than a flat tire. I am not here to review movie trailers, so let us meet The Millers.
We follow small time pot dealer David Clark (Jason Sudeikis) going about his daily routine meeting and selling to his customers. We find that in the same apartment block where he lives is eighteen year old Kenny Rossmore (Will Poulter) and stripper Rose O’Reilly (Jennifer Aniston). Kenny spots homeless young street punk Casey Mathis (Emma Roberts) being robbed and along with David, they try to save her. Unfortunately for David, the three thugs turn to beat him up instead and force him to show where his drug stash and money is kept.
Now penniless, David tries to avoid his customers but Brad Gurdlinger (Ed Helms) catches up to him and he demands David to pay what he owes. As David cannot pay him back, Brad comes up with an option for David to travel to Mexico to a gang hideout to pick up a smidge and a half of weed. David agrees but realizes that he will get stopped at the border, unless he has a disguise of sorts. He realizes that the least conspicuous is that of a family driving an RV going across the border on holiday as it will not raise any alarm bells. He knows of three people who would make up his pretend family but can he convince them to come along and can all four of them fool everybody in thinking that they are a family? What could possibly go wrong?
As mentioned earlier, the trailer reveals about 80% of the story and a majority of the best jokes too. There is nothing likeable about David Clark as he pushes and shoves his makeshift family about the place. Some of the pop culture references are so old that you get a feeling that the script has been sitting on the shelf for a while. On the other side, some of the more modern references are either not familiar to some of the audience or it falls flat, witness the Bane impersonation in the trailer. Where the jokes try to be edgy and crude, it feels forced, embarrassing and sometimes familiar. It is a shame that the funnier jokes and gags were in the outtakes that are attached on to the end credits. Saying all that though, after a number of comedy movies this year that were more suited to a male audience, this is one that women will enjoy and laugh along with to. Jennifer Aniston gives a great performance as the tough but all heart stripper. Emma Roberts and Will Poulter also put in a great turns as the pretend siblings.
