An adventure comedy with some good dialogue that delivers on the giggles

Rating: 6/10 (5 September 2014)

Funny for me is not really a matter of opinion. I think that if something is funny then it's universal. That's why comedies do so well in the mainstream. Laughing is some of the best medicine that a doctor can't prescribe. And I think my comedy IQ is decent enough that I can laugh at just about anything. I know that may sound egotistical but I love a good comedy. Especially for me a good R-rated comedy. We're The Millers trailers made it look a bit stupid at first glance. It was a low concept premise that had to deliver on the performances and the writing.
The story goes as follows, in trying to do the right thing a drug dealer (Jason Sudeikis) gets robbed and owes his boss (Ed Helms) money and drugs. In order to pay him back he has to go to Mexico to pick up a shipment. He gets this crazy idea to pose as a family with two people that live in his building, a stripper (Jennifer Aniston) and a goofy kid (Will Poulter). The one thing is that not everything is as it seems. Most of the main characters don't like each other which leads to some of the best lines in the film. They get into comedy hi-jinks, some action hi-jinks and meet a very "open" family led by Nick Offerman.
As funny goes this film has some good moments. There are moments when I was laughing not stop and there are other jokes that fall short. Sudeikis does his shtick well and the guy has the comedy chops. I'm not a fan of Aniston but put her in an vulgar comedy and I'm there. She's found a nice home in this genre. Poulter is decent as the awkward "son" and he has one of the best moments in the movie. Emma Roberts plays the fourth in the group thankfully sticking to her angst teen act which fits well with the other cast members. Offerman is cool in a extended cameo. It's not much of a change from his cameo in 21 and 22 Jump Street.
The script plot wise is a little hit or miss but the dialogue is great. I love the banter between the characters that at times holds nothing back. I know that most movies of this nature go for guy nudity plays as a joke, which it is here. But I was shocked to see the only nudity in this movie was male and it was full frontal. That's forward thinking. Way to go Sudeikis and the filmmakers for battling equal nudity in films. It's also a scene that had me dying. The film does runs a bit slow in the middle. The finale is a bit of a let down but brings everything full circle. I just thought the drama and "family values" were a bit heavy handed. I get that every character has to go through their evolution as humans but it could have been done less after school special.
This is a decent addition to the new line of popular comedy. It seems like Sudeikis is a part of the new school comedy coming in. Add this film to The Hangover films and Horrible Bosses as that adventure vulgar comedy genre that seems to be slowly picking up steam. I giggled more than I laughed but when I laughed it was hard. Much funnier than I had initially thought, We're The Millers is nice for a Saturday when you just need something lightly dusted with laughs.