Bianca Sbrocchi
September 2, 2021
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3 / 5
INCLUVIE SCORE
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3 / 5
MOVIE SCORE
‘Vacation Friends’ is Funny yet Forgettable
Disclaimer: This movie is rated R for crude sexual references, coarse language, and drug content- topics of which are referenced in this review.
Right off the bat, let me say this:
Parents- don’t watch this movie with your kids.
Kids- don’t watch this movie with your parents.
Marcus and Emily (Lil Rel Howery, Yvonne Orji) meet an eccentric couple after a proposal getaway that goes awry in Mexico. Ron and Kyla (Cena, Hagner) introduce the uptight couple to seven fun-filled days of living life to the extreme during their stay. When it’s time to return to the real world, Marcus is ready to leave all of the shenanigans-and secrets- behind him and prepare for his pending nuptials… Ron and Kyla have different plans, and will stop at nothing, including crashing the wedding, to relive the magic from their vacation.
The bulk of this comedy relies on decently clever one-liners, goofy antics, and an excessive reliance on outlandish sex-centered plot lines and drug use to separate itself from a light-hearted family comedy. An enthusiastic cast delivers on all of these jumping-off points- but can only go so far before they begin to fall flat. Feeling more like a two-hour version of a sitcom episode, the charm and likability that are so integral to the success of a film of this genre phases in and out as the plot trickles forward, complete with easy pay-offs and predictable resolutions.
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