This was a solo watch because Liz apparently doesn’t remember watching this.

This was something we put on while making crafts for our wedding. I remember when this movie came out but I remember never watching it so this was a fun one.

First off, this is technically an installment or spinoff of the National Lampoon’s Vacation franchise. Russell Griswold is the son of Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) who was the star of the original.

Vacation has a ton of recognizable faces including Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Skyler Gisando, and even Chris Hemsworth.

The movie stars Ed Helms who plays our protagonist Russell, an average guy that is a pilot for a budget airline. Frustrated with how his wife is bored with their lives and his kids are constantly fighting, he decided to take his family on a road trip to an amusement park he visited as a kid.

He believes that this experience as a family will ignite a spark within them to bring them closer.

Sounds cute and sweet but it’s definitely not. This movie has an “R” rating. The comedy is very offbeat and raunchy, which is my favorite kind. The dynamic between the family is enough to laugh throughout the movie but pairing Helm’s constant comedic strife to try and make this vacation fun for his family really sends it over the top.

The guest appearances from Hemsworth, who’s character is absolutely ridiculous, and other guest stars make the movie even more enjoyable.

It’s ultimately a story of a family bonding throughout the trip and becoming more united rather than divided like at the start of the vacation.

We watched it on Max (formally HBO Max)