We’re The Millers is the rare comedy that pushes extremely hard for the R-rating as if it’s some sort of accomplishment. While it can be done right as was seen in this years strongest comedy This Is The End, at least the premise for that film was an end of the world scenario where an R-rating seems unavoidable. Thurber’s new comedy unfortunately feels like a PG-13 film with crude humor for the sake of it. Is the crude humor funny? No doubt. Necessary? Not at all.
The jokes are funny. As far as audience reactions go, there is no chance for a silent audience in this one. The overlaying issue with the film comes from its script. The story doesn’t have one original bone in its body, and it feels as if a bunch of jokes were written and then a lazy story was brought in to string them all together.
Describing the story in depth it’s easy to label this film as a dark comedy, however it doesn’t play out like a dark comedy at all. We have a drug smuggling story featuring a college dropout, a homeless girl, a stripper and a young boy abandoned by his mother. Where the film works best is when it lets the characters drive the jokes. The idea of these seemingly nice people doing such terrible things is funny, and they amount to the funniest scenes in the film. One thing I will give it credit for though, with a plot revolved around weed and a stoner for a lead it’s surprising how much stoner humour is missing from the film. I actually really applaud them for that.
Unfortunately this is yet another film that’s arch is completely ruined by its trailer. Other than one plot point – that’s right, one – the ENTIRE film is seen in chronological order in the trailer. I think if by some chance an audience member happens to miss all the ads for We’re The Millers they might be able to find the plotline surprising, maybe even interesting but in a world so heavily infested with “sneak peeks” there isn’t much to look forward to. Hell, there are even trailers for trailers now (i.e. Ender’s Game).
Regardless while the films script is clearly lacking the actors do manage to piece the bits together nicely and it’s bound to get a chuckle out of you, even if you immediately feel ashamed afterward. If you can accept We’re the Millers for what it is, it’s a highly enjoyable film. I mean the films opening minutes are dedicated to a compilation of ridiculous YouTube videos and there is b-roll during the credits; that’s the kind of movie We’re the Millers is.
Speaking of which, stick around through the b-roll, the most intelligent laugh in the entire film comes at the expense of Aniston during the credits.
Unfortunately with films like The Hangover and This Is The End setting the bar for R-rated comedy, We’re The Millers doesn’t come close to making the cut. However if you can accept We’re the Millers for the brainless comedy that it is, it’s definitely worth checking out. Realistically this is the kind of film that will do well on rental, or on TV; just like Thurber’s other film Dodgeball, which I’m almost certain has been on TV every weekend since its release in 2004.
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