We're the Millers

Starring: Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston, Emma Roberts, Will Poulter, Ed Helms, Nick Offerman, Kathryn Hahn, Luis Guzman, Ken Marino
Directed by: Rawson Marshall Thurber
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
2013

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A small time drug dealer (Jason Sudeikis) creates a fake family to help him bring a huge shipment of drugs from Mexico to the United States.

Review:

Tim: I have to admit, I'm pretty surprised that I enjoyed We're the Millers. I'm not a big Jason Sudeikis fan and the film just didn't look all that good. However, looks can be deceiving and there's more to this film than the typical stupidity we've come to expect from most comedies out of Hollywood. I actually had a fun time watching this movie.

The premise is funny but outlandish. To help him smuggle a drug shipment into the US, a pot dealer convinces a stripper to pose as his wife, a homeless chick to pose as his daughter, and a nerdy guy to pose as his son. This dysfunctional fake family creates a lot of tension, drama, and very funny moments. The film did well in the casting department, and throughout the course of the movie, we actually learn to care about these characters. That surprised me. The character development was one of the best aspects of this film. This idea of family is a theme that runs throughout the story and results in some powerful moments. This was probably my favorite aspect of the story- families are families, even the dysfunctional ones. I like that this film explored the idea of families as something beyond just what you're born into- in some ways, we have control over who we let into our inner circle.

The cast was actually quite good. I'm still not a Sudeikis fan, but I thought he did a fairly good job in this film. His smugness still rubs me the wrong way, but I have to admit he nudged the dial just a bit. I dislike him less than I did when I started watching this movie. Jennifer Aniston gives a good performance as well. She got most of the attention for her stripping scenes, but her performance is much more than that. She exuded a warm, motherly glow while also being a dirty stripper. That duality was fun to watch. I have to say I was most impressed with Emma Roberts. I've seen her in a few films that were mostly forgettable, but I thought she stole the show here. She showed poise and real acting talent- this is the first performance of hers that has made me think she could have a real future in Hollywood. I thought she was excellent here. Will Poulter was a little too one-dimensional for me. I thought he was trying too hard and I never really believed his performance- it just seemed like acting to me. Still, he has a few really good moments. Nick Offerman is another guy I don't get, but he was fine. I liked seeing Ed Helms as the antagonist. All in all, this was a strong cast.

This film did a good job of keeping the story moving and giving the audience a lot to enjoy. This isn't the funniest movie I've seen, but it did make me laugh fairly regularly. That is a really, really big strength. The film does go into the "so awkward it's funny" bucket a little too often. Still, this is an entertaining film.

In the end, I really enjoyed We're the Millers. It's not a great movie and it does have a number of flaws. It's uneven and needed to be a big funnier. The ending of the film is completely weak and thrown together. Despite those obvious flaws, I still had fun watching this. It's a solid comedy.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



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