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Our take
The Griswolds' road trip is one disaster after another, with some affection under all the chaos. Vacation also keeps the sex jokes, gross-out gags and strong swearing coming, and there is brief nudity. We would save it for 16 and up; the humour is aimed well above younger kids.
Uplifting themes
Time together matters more than a perfect trip. Rusty's awkward, earnest effort to reconnect with his wife and sons eventually pays off in a warm ending Rusty loves his family and keeps trying, but he makes some poor calls as a dad. Several other characters act selfishly or cruelly for the sake of a laugh
Story (may spoil tone)
Hoping to bring his family closer together and to recreate his childhood vacation for his own kids, a grown up Rusty Griswold takes his wife and their two sons on a cross-country road trip to the coolest theme park in America, Walley World. Needless to say, things don't go quite as planned.
What we flagged
Details
Violence Mostly slapstick, with car crashes, pratfalls, and stunts played for la…
Mostly slapstick, with car crashes, pratfalls, and stunts played for laughs. The two brothers shove and wrestle, and the younger one is picked on for much of the trip. A few mishaps look painful but injuries pass quickly
Language The f-word, s-word, and sexual insults come up in almost every scene, f…
The f-word, s-word, and sexual insults come up in almost every scene, from adults and kids alike. Some of the swearing is aimed at laughs about bodies and sex. Even the younger boys use strong words
Sex / nudity Sex jokes run through the trip, including talk of having sex outdoors a…
Sex jokes run through the trip, including talk of having sex outdoors and a crude story about an old flame. The family ends up naked after a gross mishap, and the nudity is brief and played as a gag. Some jokes are aimed squarely at the kids' ears
Drugs / alcohol Beer flows in a college flashback, with a pitcher-chugging challenge. A…
Beer flows in a college flashback, with a pitcher-chugging challenge. Adults drink at bars and parties, and there are weed jokes and a few insults about it. Drinking is treated as fun, not as a problem
Frightening A rough river ride, some close calls on the road, and a few tense momen…
A rough river ride, some close calls on the road, and a few tense moments give brief jolts. The tone stays comic, and most scares pass quickly
Sexual violence A few lines of dialogue joke crudely about predators and offenders, and…
A few lines of dialogue joke crudely about predators and offenders, and a character is clumsily accused of being one. No assault is shown, but the topic is used for laughs
Bullying / discrimination One brother torments the other for long stretches, and the family mostl…
One brother torments the other for long stretches, and the family mostly laughs it off until the story turns. A few cheap stereotype jokes land on race and sexuality too
Dangerous behaviour Reckless driving, a go-kart stunt, and a risky rafting trip are played…
Reckless driving, a go-kart stunt, and a risky rafting trip are played as adventure. Kids may want to copy the daring, so parents might add a safety talk
Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
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Talk after watching
- Rusty tries hard to recreate his childhood trip. Why do family plans often fall short of how we imagined them?
- One brother picks on the other through the trip. What changed by the end, and how could the younger one have stood up for himself sooner?
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Vacation
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