We're the Millers

Movie, 2013, R

Premise - A drug dealer, a stripper, and two teenage misfits together attempt to smuggle two metric tons of weed across the Mexican border. In order to pass through border patrol, they form a fake family the "Millers," posing as your typical innocent, white, and suburban family of tourists in a clunky RV.

Review - This is one of those wacky, dark and inappropriate comedies that I would rank up there with my absolute favorites, The Hangover and Horrible Bosses. Not as dark as Horrible Bosses, or adventurous as The Hangover, I think this movie still fits my criteria for a wild ride of a comedy. I think of this holy trinity of crazy American black comedies, We're The Millers might have the least resonance with me, but it still earns more quality laughs than most.

What makes dark comedy great is when it hits you with an absurd and sad truth. Border patrol truly is full of racial profiling. In this particular case, the focus is on profiling in general, not for race, as David would have been profiled for his gender, hygiene, and fashion sense despite being white. That's why when you clean him up and add even more white people - girls in particular - he seems more innocent. The "Millers" dress up in polos and cuffed jeans, hiding their tattoos and masking how truly out of place they feel, and they are able to slip right through the border. I get it. Whenever I cross the border with my family in a minivan and my teddy-bear looking dad, we slip pass pretty easily.

To be honest, in the film they get past the border rather quickly. The true chaos ensues once they're back in America with an RV full of drugs. That's when they have to face unpredictable obstacles, such as running into another family with a DEA agent father, or getting chased by Mexican drug dealers wanting their stock back. There's enough plot to go around to actually give the film substance beyond an amusing premise. (93/100)

Quote - "Whenever you get scared about anything, just count to three, and then do it."

What to watch for - I don't even know what to pick for this. It's all classic. The entire cast is brilliant, and that includes the main characters, side characters, and even some cameos.

If you liked this movie, I'd recommend Horrible Bosses!

Directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber
Distributed by Warner Bros