WE’RE THE MILLERS

US, 2013, 110 minutes, Colour.
Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston, Emma Roberts, Will Poulter, Ed Helms, Ken Offerman, Kathryn Hahn.
Directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber.

We’re the Millers follows that pattern of American raucous comedy which starts with behaviour which draws some disapproval, then a process and some demands which lead to changes and a more proper happy ending, with a better moral tone.

This story of smuggling drugs from Mexico across the border into the United States has something of the same plot as Snitch, released in the same year, with Dwayne Johnson trying to get his son out of prison by transporting drugs. However, this film has a mix-um gatherum of characters, much like the group in the comedy, The Joneses, where a group of people pretend to be a family in order to promote sales as they travel from town to town.

This time the group consists of a slacker drug dealer, played by Jason Sudeikis, who has an easy beat in the city. He is beholden to a friend from college days who is a big business executive. But, during a mugging, his money is stolen and he has no way of repaying the debt. It is suggested that he go to Mexico, pick up a van, collect the drugs and bring them across the border. He gets the brainwave of setting up fake family so that authorities would not be suspicious. He lives in an apartment with a stripper, played by Jennifer Aniston trying to change her image more and more as she moves into middle age. Behind in her rent and her boyfriend leaving, she agrees to play the mother. There is a nice young adolescent in the building, very earnest, played by Will Poulter, who agrees to help out his friend. Then there is a runaway, played by Emma Roberts, tough on the street but agreeing to pose as the daughter. Most of them wamt payment for the job and do some bargaining, with the nice young man prepared to do it for free.

And the film relies on comedy where the family get themselves into impossible situations, ranging from sexual favours to a Mexican policeman to being stranded in the middle of nowhere to being pursued by the true drug lord. They are helped out occasions by another, real, family where the father is a DEA officer and the mother is a religious woman. The have a nice daughter and the nice young man is attracted to her but is completely inexperienced in dealing with the opposite sex.

There is quite a lot of raufcus comedy, sexual innuendo, crass language… as might be expected in this kind of film. However, after some crises, and some really narrow escapes, all goes well and the family do the right thing.

There are some amusing outtakes in the final credits including a scene in the van where the rest of the family play the theme from Friends for Jennifer Aniston!

1. American comedy? Raucous? Parody?

2. The American cities, the streets, drugs, striptease clubs, apartments? Tough streets?

3. David, his character, a slacker, memories of the past, his friend from college days and the discussion about drugs, the friend ringing his wife and getting his daughter about the drugs, his interactions with people, antagonism towards Rose, friendship with Kenny, seeing Kenny intervene for Casey with the muggers, his intervening, challenge, his being robbed, his drug money, going to Brad Gurdlinger, Brad’s control, college friends, Brad and his demands, the job in Mexico, the conditions? His character and the palaver and poses?

4. Rose, stripping, her clients, the boss and his being tough, the various girls in the club, meeting David at the post box, the clash of personalities, her response to Kenny, behind with the rent, David going to the club, the boss forcing her to talk, the plan?

5. Kenny, earnest, not having any friends, pals with David, his intervention for Casey?

6. Casey, runaway, her callous attitudes, her appearance and studs, Kenny and his intervention, David helping, her nonchalant walking away, the offer for the job?

7. The meals, the false family, their ability to act and pretend, Rose and her hesitation, on the plane, the introduction to the attendant, the spiel about family and values, Casey and her name, Rose’s arrival, posing, the reaction of the attendant and passengers, negative? Their arrival at the airport, the huge van, the clashes between them, each with their idiosyncrasies, talk, the songs and Kenny’s singing?

8. Seeing other families, nice, being let through the border? Arriving in the town, finding the drug centre, filling up, their amazement of the amount of drugs, the phone calls back to Brad Gurdlinger?

9. The pursuit by the Mexican policeman, the sexual situation, David relieved, urging Kenny on, Kenny willing for help to the family? The escape?

10. The range of cliffhanger situations, seemingly impossible situations to get out of, their always been able to find a way out?

11. The irony of Brad posing as the drug lord? The real drug lord and his finding the drugs taken, his big car, the pursuit, catching up with the family, Rose and her having to strip, the steam and their escape? The destruction of the car?

12. The Fitzgerald’s, friendly, Melissa, Kenny and his attraction to Melissa and vice versa? Don belonging to the DEA? The friendliness, the discussions, religious and proper, going to the tent, the discussion about wife-swapping, the repairs to the van? The irony of being stranded in the middle of nowhere and the Fitzgerald’s coming along?

13. Going through the border, their fears, the officers and their search, the dogs, getting out of the car, the irony of the refugees under the van and running, the apology of the officer?

14. Kenny, the discussions about Melissa, the nature of kissing, the help from Casey, the help from Rose, Melissa seeingthem and upset, the family upset?

15. The pursuit, the dealer, Don, the DEA and his techniques, Edie admiring him again, David and his explanations, nabbing the dealers? The irony of the big dealer, tall, his eye, the mock violence?

16. The confrontation with Brad Gurdlinger, his arrest?

17. The changing personalities of the group, David and his being up and down, the desperation of the deadlines, the phone calls, his leaving the family, especially after Kenny was bitten by the spider, his being in hospital, Rose and Casey and their concern? Casey, the inarticulate boyfriend, frightening him off?

18. Doing the right thing, going into witness protection, becoming a nice suburban family? From raucous and amoral to everything’s OK?