Note: This article was originally published in Technician on April 28, 2006.
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'R.V.' a fairly fun ride
On a family vacation, no one can hear you scream.
So runs the tagline for RV, the latest film directed by Men in Black director Barry Sonnenfeld. And unlike family road trip films of the recent past (remember Johnson Family Vacation), though it's far from an instant classic, it manages not to inspire screaming in the theater, let alone on the road.
R.V. follows Bob Munro (Robin Williams) as he rents an RV and drags his wife (Cheryl Hines), daughter (Joanna "JoJo" Levesque) and son (Josh Hutcherson) on a trip to Boulder, Colorado. He tells them it's meant to be a last attempt at family bonding before they split up over the summer, but in reality, he's trying to get to Boulder so he can pitch a presentation and save his job. The plot is flimsy and only meant as an excuse to get them out on the road, where they face the various obstacles presented by driving an R.V., of all things.