This last summer saw the release of Vacation, the sequel cum reboot of the beloved National Lampoon’s Vacation series that starred Chevy Chase and Beverley D’Angelo. I don’t say I was a huge fan of the franchise growing up – I was actually more of a Fletch fan rather than a Vacation one. While I thought the trailers for this Vacation looked very, very funny, I just didn’t make it out to the movies to see this one. However, when a copy arrived in my mail last week, I had my chance to catch up.
The verdict: Vacation is indeed very, very funny.
In this film, Rusty Griswald (Ed Helms) is all grown up next, looking to add some adventure to his predictable family vacations, decides to take his wife Debbie (Christina Applegate) and their two kids on a trip to most memorable vacation spot – Wally World. Of course, hilarity ensues.
And really, I did find Vacation to be pretty hilarious. There are some solid jokes, a great and revealing cameo from Chris Hemsworth, and some really cringe-inducing moments that I totally appreciated. I laughed hard and loud a number of times throughout its 90 minute run time, which is really all you should ask for from a film like Vacation. Helms and Applegate have a decent chemistry together, even if they’re not quite Chase and D’Angelo.
Is Vacation a classic like its predecessor? Hardly. But neither does it sully the memory of the original either. Instead, it’s a genuinely fun-filled getaway from real life, which is exactly what a vacation should be.
I totally agree with you, Andy. I watched it in the theater with my friends and we thought it was hilarious!