The Holiday Road More Traveled

Vacation
Rustyed Roots
Official Website | Trailers & Mo
R | 99 min

When you see 2015’s Vacation you automatically don’t expect it to eclipse or come even close to what 1983’s National Lampoon’s Vacation is or was.  Then again, when you see a comedy in 2015, or pretty much any time you saw a comedy this century, it has rarely been anything remotely comparable to what  made those classic 80s comedy classics.  That golden era is way over.  Comedy has changed, not so much evolved, perhaps even devolved (blame Sandler), but I personally do not expect much from a comedy in this day in age (or expect much of anything from anything!).  DAMN YOU 21st CENTURY!!!! YOU BLOW GOATS!!!!  The exceptions have been exceptional, but I can count them on my toes – The (two) Trips, Borat y Brüno, Death At A Funeral (the Caucasian version), Napoleon Dynamite, and the Jackass series.  It’s a sad state of affairs for a genre that’s suppose to be funny.  Well, the new Vacation is NOT joining that list, but…

They made a new Vacation, and of course we had to see it, and kinda have to admit – was even a little excited for it.  Love me some Ed Helms, and the thought of him playing a grown-up Rusty Griswold seemed like the right idea… and that is certainly the case here (plus you juss KNEW he was going to sing, and I love him singings).  Sure, he’s no (vintage) Chevy Chase, but who is?  No one.  So throw that dumb thought out.  And what about Christina Applegate as the modern day Beverly D’Angelo?  Works for me, and the movie too!  Throw in two kids with mostly thankless roles (Skyler Gisondo + Steele Stebbins), a silly vehicle, grand ole American destinations, and you have – a road trip movie with enuff jokes and sight gags (mostly dumb ones) to make me laugh, early and often.  YES, there’s stuff in there that doesn’t work/isn’t funny (the Four Corners cops especially), but co-writers/directors John Francis Daley (yeah, that awkward looking kid from Freaks & Geeks) and Jonathan Goldstein do a good enuff job to not blow out the tires on the Griswolds’ latest batch of screen fun

Yep, the new Vacation is totally NOT awful.  It’s totally no 1983 Vacation, but it’s its own modern comedy thing, and while none of us will probably be quoting it 30 years from now, I’d be fine with another Vacation three years from now with Helms at the helm… but only if they replace their kids with other actors.  Not cause they aint any good at acting, but juss cause, you know

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ps – it blew my mind when I later in life found out that it was the dude from Fleetwood Mac who sang ‘Holiday Road‘ (which obviously was used in the new movie).  czech out the original video for it.  super 80s strange! (they also don’t make music vids like they used to either!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHf5yiIxhoQ

Verdictgo: Jeepers Worth A Peepers

Vacation hits the road at a theater near jews today

and until next thyme the balcony is clothed…