Hungry's Movie Reviews: RV

This one's funny. I mean, not the type you'll watch over and over again until you pass out, but it has some scenes that will really catch you off-guard, and you just can't help but roll.

As always for all my humble movie reviews, for those who hadn't watched it yet, please don't read this blog, it'll be a spoiler.

I first read about RV when they interviewed Cheryl Hines (Jamie Munro). I was a bit intrigued coz it had been quite some time since I last watched a Robin Williams film. (For me, the most memorable one is Birdcage.)

I dismissed it thinking it must be another one of those family flicks with a happy ending and is just a waste of your time. However, when I saw an officemate watching it and cannot withhold his laughter anymore (in the office), I thought, there must be something to this film. Curiousity got the best of me and upon coming home, watched it online too.

Though as predicted, a happy ending, I still enjoyed a few clips along the way. These are some of my favorite scenes:

• The scene where Bob's clumsily manuvering the big "rolling turd" out of their lane is a bit funny. At first he refuses to move the RV until he successfully straps on his seat belt. The look on Jamie's face is priceless, and Robin's veteran acting is so on the dot. It's like "ok we're going now... now... now... now..." And Jamie's expression is, "Will you please stop it with the belt already?! You can strap that on later!" or "Swear to God, if you don't strap that on soon, I'm going to twist it round your neck!" but still say "I love you, dear, take all the freakin time you want!"
• 3 family members singing 3 different songs from 3 different genres. Must be one hell of a headache! If I were him I would've yelled "SHUT UPPP!!!" however, given that he undermined their Hawaiian trip, it's understandable why he's just gritting his teeth. This got into my fave list coz it's so amusingly common in almost every household. Very self-centric, and you would be a hypocrite to have not experienced that.
• Yucky as you can imagine it be, you still can't help but laugh at Bob's distress when he has to drain out some stranger's poop that's left in their rented RV. As a 3rd person and consciously knowing, "Nah, they wouldn't put real poop in there. I mean, it's Robin Williams!" but still you can't help but "Ewww..." even if nobody's agreeing beside you.
• How the hell can a raccoon get into an oven?! I mean, even if it stretches its body to open the lid, upon sliding in, the oven would've snapped its tail or something, right? Do inform me on the latest oven features, coz that's the only oven we have.

I thought Bob was exaggerating when he said there was a family of racoons and came out all tattered holding what's left of their umbrella. But when he attacked the RV with a stink bomb, seeing a gang of 3 raccoon critters surrender then seeing the Munroes' expression made me lol. And just when you think Lord Bad Luck had left them, they rain-basked in their plastic ponchos. hahaha

• Robin Williams playing Bob had me chuckling when he was speaking all this gangster-rap lingo. Only he can pull something like that. Imagine Jim Carey or Billy Crystal or Rob Schneider or Adam Sandler doing that; it just won't be the same.
• Who can ever forget the treacherous mountainside trek Bob has to take to escape a bumper-to-bumper jam on the highway? That poster perfect scene is really something that'll have your laughing grandma spit her false teeth out.
• Check out the part where their RV rolls into a lake and Bob's adamant about giving his marketing pitch so much that he proudly walks into the lake, bubbles inside it, and came out wearing a helmet and peddling a tiny bike that even my 10-year-old cousin already graduated out of. Now, that's hilarious! Who would've thought of that? hahaha Absolutely unique! hahahaha

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this is Jojo's first acting debut, right? She's done a good job, I would say - she looks real comfy in her role as Cassie. I believe there are some scenes wherein she looks like she's holding back a chuckle or 2.

Couldn't say the same for the spunk who played Carl. The kid's young though and has all the years to raise his acting to the next level. He must've felt real honored acting alongside Robin Williams and Cheryl Hines (Jamie Munro) though.

Albeit I think Diane Keaton can also play the mother in a dysfunctional family, I don't think the entire movie's Diane-Keatony. Cheryl Hines is so fitting for these kinds of roles. She attaches well as a mid-aged mom who still maintains a healthy sexlife...er, relationship with her hubbie. I sure hope her career picks up and we can see more of her in movies to come.

Last but not the least: This movie's fittingly made for Robin Williams! You can say that a lot of the scenes wouldn't be the least funny if not for his facial expressions or Robin William trademark performance (return to the rap lingo). A role I'd like him to fit into is a striving superhero. Just imagine him racing to the rescue and then fumbles with his gadgets or hits someone accidentally strikes someone with his puncheroo (heheh something I just made up) or clumsily trips on his cape. I know it's very very slapstick, but I know Robin Williams can just rise up to the challenge that any comedy-drama will bring and more.