We’re the Millers follows the story of a small-time pot dealer named David Clark (Jason Sudeikis), who creates a fake family to smuggle marijuana across the Mexico-United States border. To appear like an average American family on vacation, David recruits a stripper named Rose (Jennifer Aniston), a homeless teenage girl named Casey (Emma Roberts), and his neighbor Kenny (Will Poulter).
David hopes this fabricated family will help him smoothly transport a large shipment of marijuana that he owes his supplier. The makeshift family boards an RV and heads to Mexico to pick up the drugs. Though they initially clash, the “Millers” start to bond throughout their journey and see themselves as a real family.
Along the way, the fake family encounters trouble at the border crossing, gets tangled up with a Mexican cartel, and must protect themselves and the drugs from thieves. David also finds himself developing real romantic feelings for Rose. Despite many close calls and hijinks, the Millers manage to complete their mission.
However, when they return home, David realizes he cares more about his newfound family than the money. He leaves the drugs behind and reunites with Rose and the kids, committing to their relationship.
We’re the Millers mixes comedy and crime with an underlying story about makeshift families and unlikely connections. Like Juno, it features offbeat characters brought together by unusual circumstances.
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Girls Trip (2017)
Girls Trip is a 2017 comedy film directed by Malcolm D. Lee that follows four longtime best friends who go on a wild getaway to New Orleans for an annual festival. The main characters are Ryan, Sasha, Dina, and Lisa – four African American women who have been friends since their college days but have grown apart over time as their lives and responsibilities change.
The film opens by introducing us to Ryan, a successful self-help author and speaker who is offered a lucrative book deal provided she can bring her three best friends along to appear with her on stage at the Essence Music Festival.
Ryan contacts her friends and convinces them to join her for a girls’ trip, playing into their desire for an adventure and escape from their normal lives. Sasha is now a journalist struggling to find fulfillment in her career.
Lisa is a divorced nurse and single mother who has put her social life on hold to focus on parenting. Dina is still her wild, party-girl self but now feels alone and bored in her marriage. After arriving in New Orleans, the women fully embrace the carefree spirit of the trip. They dress up in risqué outfits, hit up jazz clubs, take shots freely, flirt with men, and dance the night away.
As they indulge in the freedom of letting loose, their sisterly bond is rekindled. The next day they attend the Essence Festival, where Dina’s raucous behavior nearly sabotages Ryan’s reputation during an important interview. Later, Lisa opens up about her stagnant love life, prompting the other women to play matchmaker and push her out of her comfort zone.
Throughout the film, we get glimpses into each character’s personal struggles beneath the surface. Ryan’s marriage is failing, but she pretends everything is fine to protect her image. Sasha is unhappy in her career and jealous of Ryan’s success. Lisa feels tied down by motherhood and craves excitement. Dina uses partying and fun to cover up problems in her marriage. Their sisterhood provides them with the support system they’ve been lacking.
The trip takes an emotionally heavy turn after Lisa discovers her husband has been cheating on her. Heartbroken, she lashes out at Ryan for seeming to have the perfect life. This prompts Ryan to finally confess the truth about her crumbling marriage. The four women end up in a massive brawl that gets them kicked out of their hotel.
But the fight ultimately clears the air and brings them back together, reminding them of their loyalty. They check into a cheap motel, where they laugh over old memories and strengthen their bond.
- Director: Malcolm D. Lee
- Genre: Comedy
- Released Year: 2017
- Where to Watch: Netflix
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Horrible Bosses (2011)
Horrible Bosses is a 2011 dark comedy film directed by Seth Gordon that centers around three frustrated employees who devise a scheme to murder their overbearing bosses. The main characters are Nick, Dale, and Kurt – three friends who are each stuck working for toxic, abusive supervisors.
The film opens by introducing us to Nick, an accountant whose sadistic boss, Dave, constantly belittles and takes advantage of him. Dale is a dental assistant whose boss, Dr. Julia, makes unwanted sexual advances despite his engagement.
Kurt’s boss Bobby casually does cocaine in the office and overrides all of Kurt’s work to take credit himself. Fed up with the mistreatment, the three friends get drunk together and joke about killing their bosses.
In the morning, they regret their words, but the idea takes root after their bosses push them too far. After Nick’s boss threatens to get him arrested for embezzlement, Dale is sexually assaulted by his boss, and Kurt’s boss steals his promotion, the three friends decide they have no choice but to bump off their superiors.
Lacking criminal experience themselves, they hire a shady character named Motherf\*\*ker Jones to be their murder consultant.
What follows is a hilarious satire of the crime thriller genre, as the three protagonists fumble through attempted murder plots that go horribly awry. From failed poisoning attempts to dangerous confrontations at the bosses’ homes, Nick, Dale, and Kurt spectacularly botch each plan to kill their intended targets.
Along the way, they face unexpected obstacles, like Julia’s true fiance turning out to be a dangerous gangster and Kurt accidentally getting drugged and seduced by Bobby. Amidst the escalating mayhem, we get glimpses into each character’s background and psyche. Nick feels resentful for putting his life on hold to care for his sick mother.
Dale is frustrated by Julia’s sexual manipulation because it threatens his relationship. And Kurt just wants credit for his hard work from his cocaine-addicted tyrant of a boss. Their shared misery and demoralization fuels their increasingly unhinged behavior.
- Director: Seth Gordon
- Genre: Black comedy, Crime
- Released Year: 2011
- Where to Watch: Netflix
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Planes, Trains, And Automobiles (1987)
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles is a classic 1987 road trip comedy film directed by John Hughes and starring Steve Martin and John Candy. The film follows Neal Page (Martin), an uptight marketing executive trying to get home to Chicago for Thanksgiving, and Del Griffith (Candy), a lovable but obnoxious shower curtain ring salesman who seems to constantly run into Neal during his travels.
The film opens with Neal trying to catch a cab from New York City to the airport. He eventually manages to get to the airport, only to find his flight delayed. This begins a hilariously frustrating journey for Neal, filled with misadventures and mishaps.
After his flight gets rerouted to Wichita due to a freak snowstorm, Neal shares a hotel room with Del. While Neal finds Del annoying, the two end up having to work together to figure out how to get Neal home in time for Thanksgiving.
What makes Planes, Trains, and Automobiles so memorable is the chemistry between Steve Martin and John Candy. Martin plays the straight man, reacting with increasing frustration and incredulous at everything Del says and does.
Candy is perfect as the clumsy, chatty Del, who manages to repeatedly aggravate Neal but also display his inherent goodness. The film revels in an odd couple, buddy comedy formula as these two very different characters are forced to rely on each other.
Some of the most iconic scenes feature Neal and Del’s misadventures on the road. Getting stranded in the burning rental car, spending a miserable night on a cramped bus, and trying to hitchhike their way through rural areas results in a lot of comedic moments.
Hughes excellently executes physical comedy and situational humor throughout the film. Even something as simple as the two men sharing a tiny twin bed in a run-down motel delivers big laughs.
While the comedy comes fast and frequently, the film also makes time for meaningful character development between Neal and Del. Over the course of their journey; the two men come to understand each other better. Neal sees past Del’s annoyances to recognize his positive traits like optimism and generosity.
And Del helps bring out Neal’s compassion. There is a clear message about not judging a book by its cover.
- Director: John Hughes
- Genre: Comedy
- Released Year: 1987
- Where to Watch: Netflix
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Just Go With It (2011)
The 2011 film Just Go With It stars Adam Sandler as Danny, a successful plastic surgeon, and Jennifer Aniston as Katherine, his assistant. When Danny gets into a lie that requires pretending he’s married, he recruits Katherine to pose as his soon-to-be ex-wife for a weekend getaway to Hawaii.
What follows is a fun, hilarious rom-com full of pretend marriages, fake divorces, and maybe even some real romance.
Just Go With It is an American remake of the 1969 film Cactus Flower, updated with a modern setting and Adam Sandler’s signature brand of humor. The movie opens by explaining Danny’s bizarre fake wedding ring scheme he uses to get dates, claiming he’s a soon-to-be divorcee.
This backfires when he meets and falls for Palmer (Brooklyn Decker), forcing him to recruit Katherine and her kids to keep up his “married with kids” lie. In Hawaii, the initial awkward family vacation vibe soon leads to laughs as Danny and Katherine pretend to be at each other’s throats, only to secretly start falling for each other.
Meanwhile, Palmer meets a fun-loving college student who proposes after knowing her for just 6 hours. The pretend marriage Plot device allows the movie to explore relationships and family in a lighthearted way.
As with any Adam Sandler comedy, Just Go With It is filled with over-the-top characters and goofy situations. Nick Swardson has an outrageous role as Danny’s cousin Eddie, complete with a fake Austrian accent and wild antics like cliff diving while pretending to be a dolphin. Bailee Madison and Griffin Gluck provide cute kid moments as Katherine’s children, who aren’t quite convinced Danny and Katherine ever were married.
The Hawaiian setting allows for scenic vacation montages, along with ample opportunity for Sandler and Aniston to get into all sorts of awkward, embarrassing, and humorous situations.
As Katherine starts developing real feelings for Danny, her jealousy sabotages his budding romance with Palmer, resulting in an entertaining love triangle dynamic.
- Director: Dennis Dugan
- Genre: Romantic comedy
- Released Year: 2011
- Where to Watch: Netflix
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Due Date (2010)
The 2010 road trip comedy Due Date pairs Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis as unlikely travel companions making their way from Atlanta to Los Angeles. Directed by Todd Phillips, the movie follows anxious soon-to-be-father Peter (Downey Jr.) as he rushes to get home for the birth of his child, reluctantly accompanied by aspiring actor Ethan (Galifianakis) who gets them into all sorts of trouble along the way.
The plot kicks off when a chance airport encounter leads to Peter getting placed on the no-fly list. With his ID and wallet accidentally switched with Ethan’s, Peter has no choice but to drive cross-country with the eccentric and undisciplined Ethan if he wants to make it to L.A. in time.
What follows is a road trip comedy filled with disasters, diversions, and misadventures as these polar opposites clash while trying to get back on the road. Much of the movie’s humor comes from the contrast between Peter’s Type-A, uptight personality, and Ethan’s carefree, crass nature.
Downey Jr.’s sighs and eye-rolls at everything Ethan does quickly become comedy gold. From Ethan’s bizarre bathroom habits to his lack of filters, he repeatedly triggers Peter’s frustration while remaining endearingly oblivious.
As they travel across the country, their road trip devolves into a series of mishaps. Getting kicked off a rental bus, dealing with a car breakdown in the desert, getting caught sneaking across the border—each new calamity ramps up the comedic effect while highlighting the growing tensions between Peter and Ethan. These escalating fiascoes force them to rely on each other.
Of course, no buddy comedy road trip would be complete without some hijinks along the way. A marijuana stop with some shady new “friends” goes awry in a very funny sequence. Juliette Lewis has a memorable turn as a quirky tattoo artist who catches Ethan’s eye. Even Jamie Foxx shows up in a cameo as an old acquaintance of Ethan’s who agrees to give them a lift.
- Director: Todd Phillips
- Genre: Black comedy, Road film
- Released Year: 2010
- Where to Watch: Netflix
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Game Night (2018)
Game Night (2018) is a hilarious comedy film directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein. The movie stars Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams as Max and Annie, a competitive married couple who host regular game nights with their friends.
However, their latest game night gets kicked up a notch when Max’s charming brother Brooks (Kyle Chandler) arrives in town and invites everyone to an immersive murder mystery party at a lavish rented house.
Brooks has hired a company to stage an elaborate fake kidnapping, promising the winner will get his classic Stingray Corvette. However, real criminals barge in, beat Brooks, and drag him away. Unsure if this is still part of the game, Max and Annie race against the clock to figure out Brooks’ disappearance.
What follows is an absolutely absurd comedy of errors as the couple careens through a wild night chasing “clues” from one location to the next.
Max and Annie make an endearing comedic duo. Jason Bateman plays the straight man consumed with beating his successful, arrogant brother at something for once. Rachel McAdams gets all the best lines, riling up Max and pushing the mild-mannered character out of his comfort zone.
Their neurotic competitive energy plays off each other perfectly. The film also makes great use of its supporting cast, including Billy Magnussen as the dim-witted longtime friend Ryan, who gets pulled deeper and deeper into Max and Annie’s crazy game night.
The fast-paced story seamlessly blends excitement, mystery, and laugh-out-loud humor. The writers pack each scene with excellent comedic timing and clever jokes coming at the audience nonstop.
The film takes the characters through bar fights, car chases, shootouts, and shocking twists and turns without ever losing momentum. Max and Annie even encounter a bizarre real-life role-playing group out acting out a fantasy quest, allowing the filmmakers to lampshade the ridiculousness of the entire premise.
Visually, Game Night embraces its heightened reality with stylish cinematography and editing. Multiple scenes succinctly cut between the characters’ perspectives versus the absurd real events happening around them.
The film often utilizes slow motion at comedic moments to wring every last bit of humor from the cast’s reactions. Overall, the polished directing, editing, and sound design elevate the script with sharp, dynamic storytelling.
- Director: John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein
- Genre: Action, Comedy
- Released Year:2018
- Where to Watch: Netflix
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The Hangover (2009)
The Hangover (2009) has cemented itself as one of the most popular and quoted comedy films of the 21st century. Directed by Todd Phillips, the R-rated romp follows three friends who travel to Las Vegas for a bachelor party weekend.
When the groomsmen wake up hungover in their trashed hotel suite, they realize the groom is missing. With no memory of the night before, the film depicts their hilarious misadventures piecing together what happened.
The Hangover stars Bradley Cooper as Phil, the responsible teacher planning the bachelor party for his friend Doug. Ed Helms plays the newlywed-to-be Stu, an uptight dentist terrified of confronting his controlling girlfriend.
Zach Galifianakis makes his breakout as Alan, Doug’s future brother-in-law and eccentric outcast of the group. The excellent chemistry between these leads generates nonstop laughter. Their opposing personalities play off each other perfectly, with uptight Stu increasingly exasperated by wild card Alan.
When the groomsmen wake up to find Doug missing, their suite destroyed, and a tiger in their bathroom, they scramble to uncover the events leading to Doug’s disappearance. This mystery structure allows the film to keep building ridiculous scenarios, shocking reveals, and raucous set pieces upon each other.
Standout comedic scenes include Stu discovering he’s missing a tooth, the guys finding their car impounded with a stolen police car inside, and an encounter with Mike Tyson’s tiger after sneaking into his mansion.
Throughout their disorderly investigation, the group experiences one unbelievable situation after another, often making things worse in their confused state. Much of the humor comes from the disconnect between the characters’ memory and the reality of their irresponsible behavior.
For example, Stu is horrified to find he’s been carrying around a baby they apparently discovered. Yet surveillance footage shows them cheerfully stealing the baby after a night of partying.
Of course, the R-rated comedy also indulges in no shortage of vulgar gags, from Stu’s encounters with a stripper and prostitute to the guys unknowingly drugging themselves multiple times. But the writing talent on display elevates the film above a typical raunchy bro comedy.
The story’s structure unfolds cleverly, with earlier jokes paying off episodes later. And the cast’s chemistry and comedic chops sell every outlandish scenario.
- Director: Todd Phillip
- Genre: Comedy
- Released Year: 2009
- Where to Watch: Netflix
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Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
Little Miss Sunshine (2006) has become a defining indie comedy of the 2000s thanks to its hilarious yet heartfelt look at one highly dysfunctional family’s road trip. Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris,
the R-rated dramatic comedy sports a stellar ensemble cast, including Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Steve Carell, Paul Dano, Abigail Breslin, and Alan Arkin. Their excellent performances and the thoughtful script helped the low-budget film become a surprise critical and commercial smash.
Greg Kinnear and Toni Collette play Richard and Sheryl Hoover, a married couple struggling to keep their family afloat by pursuing their dreams. Richard motivates and coaches people as a fledgling motivational speaker, though he can’t get his own life in order.
Meanwhile, Sheryl keeps the household running while attempting to protect her depressed, Nietzsche-obsessed teenage son Dwayne (Paul Dano). Rounding out the family are eccentric, heroin-snorting grandfather Edwin (Alan Arkin) and optimistic 7-year-old Olive (Abigail Breslin).
When Olive earns a spot in the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant finals in California, the cash-strapped and barely functioning Hoovers pile into their worn-down van to drive her there.
The premise allows the film to throw this colorful cast of characters together on a chaotic 800-mile odyssey, bringing out the best and worst in each other. Their reactions to the people and mishaps along the trip highlight how individuals pursue happiness differently.
But ultimately, the Hoovers discover happiness comes from embracing who you are, not who you wish you were.
The Hoover family represents a mosaic of dissatisfaction and unfulfilled dreams. Richard can’t get his life coaching business off the ground. Dwayne has taken a vow of silence until he can enroll in flight school and escape his family. Edwin got kicked out of his nursing home for snorting heroin.
Each character believes achieving their goal will finally make them happy. But only optimistic Olive expresses herself freely without judgment.
On their journey, Olive’s innocent positivity rubs off on the downtrodden Hoovers. In one standout sequence, the family’s frustrations boil over, and they finally let loose, joyfully dancing together to the Rick James song “Super Freak.” It’s a celebratory moment of the family accepting one another.
This thoughtful theme culminates in an uproarious pageant finale that teaches Olive and the Hoovers to take pride in marching to their own beat.
- Director: Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris
- Genre: Black comedy, Road film
- Released Year: 2006
- Where to Watch: Netflix
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Identity Thief (2013)
Identity Thief is a 2013 comedy starring Jason Bateman as Sandy Patterson, a businessman whose identity gets stolen by a wildly unpredictable woman named Diana (Melissa McCarthy). Diana goes on a huge spending spree with Sandy’s credit cards and personal information, buying whatever she wants and getting him into deep trouble.
When Sandy finds out what’s happened, his life is already in shambles. His credit is ruined, his job is at risk, and the police even think he’s a money launderer! Desperate to clear his name and stop Diana from doing more damage, Sandy travels from his home in Denver all the way to Florida to track her down.
What he finds there is a lonely woman living large, using his identity and refusing to give it back. Diana won’t come back to Denver willingly, so Sandy has to literally capture her before dragging her on a chaotic road trip back to Colorado. They bicker constantly, with Sandy frustrated by Diana’s shameless schemes and Diana trying anything she can to escape.
But eventually, these two opposite personalities find some common ground. Diana opens up about her friendless life and why she started stealing identities in the first place. And as their adventure continues, Sandy and Diana form an unlikely bond.
By the time they make it to Denver, Diana has a change of heart and decides to confess so Sandy can clear his name. Her identity theft days are over. What makes Identity Thief work so well is the hilarious mismatch between Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy.
Bateman’s deadpan, exasperated straight man plays perfectly against McCarthy’s loud, eccentric character. Their chemistry carries the movie through an otherwise formulaic plot.
- Director: Seth Gordon
- Genre: Comedy, Crime
- Released Year: 2013
- Where to Watch: Netflix
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This is 40 (2012)
This Is 40 is a comedy film written and directed by Judd Apatow, released in 2012. It serves as a spin-off sequel to Apatow’s 2007 hit Knocked Up, focusing on middle-aged married couple Pete and Debbie played by Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann. The film explores their careers, finances, sex life, and relationships with their two daughters as they both turn 40.
The story picks up a few years after Knocked Up, with Pete and Debbie facing new conflicts. Pete’s record label business is struggling financially, and Debbie’s clothing store is losing money as well. On top of that, their marital relationship is growing stale as they deal with sexual frustration and lack of intimacy. Their daughters, 13-year-old Sadie, and 8-year-old Charlotte, add stress to the mix with their sibling rivalry and adolescent issues.
Pete and Debbie try to reconnect on a weekend getaway but end up fighting over finances and their failing sex life. Back at home, tensions continue mounting. Pete hides the grim financial outlook of their businesses despite Debbie pleading for honesty.
Debbie suspects Pete is attracted to an employee at his record label. Their daughters constantly bicker and get suspended from school for obscene language and inappropriate behavior they learned from Debbie.
As their 40th birthdays approach, Pete and Debbie struggle to accept the realities of aging and wonder if their best years are behind them. They question their marriage and ability to raise healthy, well-adjusted kids.
After a big blow-up fight at a party, they consider divorce but ultimately recommit to working on their relationship. The film ends with the hope their love can be rekindled by embracing the challenges of midlife.
This Is 40 received mixed reviews, with critics divided on Apatow’s honest portrayal of marriage and middle age. While relatable for many viewers, some found Pete and Debbie unlikable or hard to root for.
The talented cast, including Rudd, Mann, Megan Fox, John Lithgow, and Albert Brooks, connects the viewer emotionally to the couple’s plight. However, the plot meanders, and the overlong runtime stretch this thin premise.
- Director: Judd Apatow
- Genre: Comedy, Drama
- Released Year: 2012
- Where to Watch: Netflix
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Vacation (2015)
The Vacation film franchise, which began with 1983’s National Lampoon’s Vacation starring Chevy Chase, has become a staple in American pop culture. The original film followed the Griswold family as they embarked on a disastrous cross-country road trip to Walley World theme park.
Now, over 30 years later, New Line Cinema has revived the franchise with a new Vacation movie directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein. This 2015 comedy acts as both a sequel and reboot, focusing on a new generation of Griswolds as they attempt their own family road trip to Walley World.
The new Vacation centers around Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms), the son from the original 1983 film, who is now grown up and has a family of his own.
Eager to reconnect with his wife Debbie (Christina Applegate) and kids James (Skyler Gisondo) and Kevin (Steele Stebbins), Rusty decides to take his family on a road trip to Walley World, just as he did with his parents and sister as a kid.
Along the way, they stop to see Rusty’s sister Audrey (Leslie Mann) and her husband Stone (Chris Hemsworth) for some hijinks. Of course, just like in the original film, the Griswold family’s vacation does not go smoothly. They rent a tacky, unreliable Albanian rental car; get stranded in the desert; encounter dangerous gangsters;
Destroy Stone’s high-tech experimental aircraft, and face numerous other mishaps. Through it all, Rusty tries desperately to create lasting family memories while the rest of the Griswolds remain distracted by their technology and their own self-interests.
Ultimately, after a detour to the Four Corners Monument, the Griswolds finally make it to Walley World, only to find that it has been closed and replaced with a dirt lot. In a moment of frustration, Rusty takes a construction excavator and drives it through the Walley World sign, recreating the iconic scene from the original Vacation.
The family is arrested but happy to be together, realizing that the real destination was their time spent on the road. Ed Helms leads the new Vacation as the earnest but bumbling father, Rusty, bringing warmth and likeability to the role. Christina Applegate shines as his frustrated wife, Debbie, tries to keep her patience through the vacation disasters.
Skyler Gisondo and Steele Stebbins portray their squabbling teen and preteen sons, James and Kevin, with comedic precision.
- Director: John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein
- Genre: Comedy, Adventure
- Released Year: 2015
- Where to Watch: HBO
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