We all love a road trip film, but not many hit as well as 2015’s Vacation. I break down similar movies our dear readers can add to their watch list.
Vacation is a sequel to National Lampoon’s Vacation. A movie like that should never be reworked because it’s considered a classic. However, co-writers Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley made it their own.
Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms) takes his own family on a road trip to “Walley World” in order to spice things up with his wife and reconnect with his sons. It did work for the most part as a road trip movie, but it didn’t have the same humor as the original film.
The films on this list all have strong comedy teams and have fun road trip journeys for the characters. Whether they are driving to a destination or driving around trying to figure out their next movie, going along with their plans is entertaining.
We’re the Millers (2013)
This is a road trip movie with different personalities coming together to finish a drug deal. A veteran pot dealer (Jason Sudeikis) creates a fake family as part of his plan to move a huge shipment of weed into the U.S. from Mexico. Jennifer Aniston, Emma Roberts, and Will Poulter round out the cast, and they all have strong chemistry.
RV (2006)
Robin Williams stars as Bob Munro, a father who wants to spend more time with his family. He decides it’s time for a family road trip with his dysfunctional family. So they rent an RV for a road trip to the Colorado Rockies, where they must ultimately contend with a bizarre community of campers. The journey this family goes on is unexpected and fun, which makes for an entertaining road trip.
Vegas Vacation (1997)
Chevy Chase made a career with the National Lampoon franchise, and Vegas Vacation is the fourth installment. It’s also second best after Christmas Vacation. In this film, the Griswolds have to survive Vegas fever when they go to Las Vegas for a fun family vacation. If you’ve never been to Vegas, this is always a good movie to check out what all the hype is about.
Are We There Yet? (2005)
Ice Cube switched over to a family comedy for Are We There Yet? To impress a foxy divorcee (Nia Long), ladies’ man Nick offers to take her kids on an extended road trip, unaware of the torture he’s in for. Kevin (Philip Bolden) and Lindsey (Aleisha Allen) Kingston were sweet kids until they planned to torture the man who was trying to get to their mother.
The Hangover (2009)
From director Todd Phillips comes a comedy that broke the box office because of their golden trio and a night they couldn’t remember. Three buddies wake up from a bachelor party in Las Vegas: Stu (Ed Helms), Alan (Zack Galifianakis), and Phil (Bradley Cooper) get blackout drunk and don’t remember anything.
They also lost the groom (Justin Bartha) and spent a full day trying to retrace their steps to find him.
Due Date (2010)
With Robert Downey Jr. back on top and Zack Galifianakis on the rise, this buddy comedy came out at the right time and was hilarious. A high-strung father-to-be, Peter Highman (Downey Jr.), is forced to hitch a ride with aspiring actor Ethan Tremblay (Galifianakis) on a road trip in order to make it to his child’s birth on time. Downey Jr.’s sarcasm, combined with Galifianakis’s monotone delivery, made for an unexpected comedy duo.
Horrible Bosses (2011)
Hot off the tracks of The Hangover, another comedy trio stole the hearts of many with their brilliant chemistry. The premise is simple: three friends conspire to murder their awful bosses when they realize they are standing in the way of their happiness. Each boss has something horrible about them, and each employee is fed up with their treatment. It’s a raunchy comedy starring Jason Sudeikis, Jason Bateman and Charlie Day.
The Guilt Trip (2012)
From director Anne Fletcher comes a dramedy about a mother and son spending some well-needed time together. As inventor Andy Brewster (Seth Rogen) is about to embark on the road trip of a lifetime, a quick stop at his mom’s (Barbara Streisand) house turns into an unexpected cross-country voyage with her along for the ride.
They learn about each other, and it’s a fun little road trip because of the mother/son bonding.
Eurotrip (2004)
There have been many road trip movies that push the boundaries, like Vacation. In the early 2000s, raunchy teen comedies were everywhere, and Eurotrip was so risky back then. Scott Thomas (Scott Mechlowicz) was dumped by his girlfriend, so he decided to embark on an overseas adventure in Europe with his friends. A European vacation is unhinged, and anything can happen.
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
Co-directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris create a heartwarming film about the love and support of family. One family is determined to get their young daughter into the finals of a beauty pageant and take a cross-country trip in their VW bus. Alan Arkin won an Academy Award for his performance as the loving and determined grandfather who had such a special bond with his granddaughter.
Do you have any other recommendations for movies like Vacation? Let us know in the comments.
