RV

This movie hasn't been well-received by most critics, and to be truthful, it's nothing special. And yet, it's no worse than many other summer fun movies. It's no There's Something About Mary, but it's no Dumb and Dumberer, either.

Robin Williams plays a marketing man working for a major soft drink company run or owned (it's not clear) by a major schmuck. His job takes him away from his family more than he and his wife would like. The result: resentful and rebellious kids. (This, strangely despite the fact that mom is a full-time homemaker.)

His family consists of an annoying son (Josh Hutcherson) who is into rap music, a disturbingly jail-baity daughter played by (I'm not kidding with this name) "JoJo Levesque," and a wife, played by veteran actress Cheryl Hines. JoJo was only fifteen when RV was filmed, but she was playing a girl about to go to college at the end of summer (age=17?). Normally, actresses play younger than their chronological age, not older. Now, she has a great figure and in some of the clothing she wore, nipple bumps were evident. She also has a pronounced "hourglass" figure. Ms. Hines also is well built. In short, Robin appeared to have a Penthouse Pet of the future for a daughter and a Penthouse Pet of 20 years ago for a wife.
By the way, "JoJo" was in another movie recently, Aquamarine, where her supposed lack of development compared to more popular girls was part of the story.

Anyway, they (the family) are planning on a Hawaiian vacation, but Robin's boss requires Robin to help pitch an Odwalla-like natural beverage company to sell out and become part of the major soft drink company.

In order to vacation with his family and still make the presentation, he cancels the Hawaiian vacation and rents a large RV trying to convince his family that a road trip to Colorado (where the presentation will take place) is actually better. He doesn't explain that he's actually doing this so he can be there for the presentation at a time when they had been planning to be on the beach in Hawaii, which further incurs resentment since his family feels they are being hijacked into a vacation they don't really want.

Along the way, they meet a cheerful and positive family. The husband and wife are played by Jeff Daniels and Kristin Chenoweth. They have a son and daughter who are appropriately aged for Robin's family (coincidence? I think not). We learn later on that Robin's family finds their positivity annoying mostly because of their own family's unresolved issues.

Much of this movie is predictable: You know that the family's issues will be resolved and that they will grow closer. The annoying Jeff Daniels family will prove their salvation and prove to be true friends. Robin will leave his company if the choice is between his job and his family.

Even though it's a formulaic movie, a lot of movies are, especially summer movies.

While it won't be mentioned at Oscar time, for what it is, it's not such a bad movie.