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Directed by Clay Tarver, Vacation Friends brings a zany, early-aughts feel to its drug-fueled comedic shenanigans and ‘friendly’ misunderstandings.
Known for his writing on Silicon Valley, Clay Tarver brings that same level of zany energy and ensemble-led shenanigans to his feature film debut Vacation Friends. Directed by Tarver and co-written by him, Tom and Tim Mullen, Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, the film is set around a relatable and promising concept: what if the friends you made on that wild vacation attempted to push themselves into your day-to-day life — or, worse, your wedding?
Channeling the drug and alcohol-fueled swagger of The Hangover, Vacation Friends is not a film that’s out to surprise anyone. It knows exactly what kind of film it is. It’s easy to follow and laugh along with while it delivers a smooth ride to its predictable and cozy finish. For those craving a Mexico-themed vacation or an escape from the harsh reality of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it’ll likely soothe that want and bring vicarious joy with each tequila shot.
The film centers on an uptight couple Marcus (Lil Rey Howery) and Emily (Yvonne Orji), who arrive in Mexico only to find that their hotel suite was flooded by someone else’s jacuzzi. The culprits soon reveal themselves to be none other than the pill-popping Ron (John Cena) and Kyla (Meredith Hagner), who feel so upset by the debacle that they invite Emily and Marcus to stay with them in their suite instead. After Marcus unknowingly takes a sip of a cocaine-laced margarita, he and Emily decide to throw caution to the wind and basically say yes to any — and there are several, trust me — questionable gameplans that Ron and Kyla scheme up for them.
What works best about this premise is the film’s invitation for Ron and Kyla’s characters to dream up even more chaotic plans. While Vacation Friends could have pushed the bar a little higher with its antics, there’s enough adventure to make the ride worth it. In truth, the film really only uses the actual vacation to pave the way for the more ambitious challenge of watching what happens when Ron and Kyla crash Marcus and Emily’s wedding, which carries more than enough comedy to make up for any lack of outrageous action.
Although the film sets itself up to be about two couples, it is actually about the genuine and complicated friendship between Ron and Marcus. Those hoping to see more layers to Emily and Kyla’s friendship will be let down. Their relationship, at least on-screen, seems to just be stretching its legs, whereas Ron and Marcus’ bond sprints ahead.
Cena delightfully embraces his role as the tough-looking guy who has a lot of feelings and confidently lands his moments of cringe comedy. Further, he delivers a heartwarming and straight-faced sincerity to Vacation Friends‘ second act, when it’s disclosed why he’s so clingy with Marcus. Watching Lil Rey Howery in his role as the ever-cautious and anxious Marcus around Ron is a pleasure. The duo’s comedic timing really plays to Howery’s standup strengths, showcasing how he knows just when to pause and let a moment breathe before the next roaring laugh comes.
Of course, the men of this film would flounder if it wasn’t for their leading ladies. Orji’s masterful, well-timed head tilts and emotional sincerity compliment Howery’s worries so as not to let him become exhausting. Hagner’s boundless energy evokes the same wondrous endurance of Kristin Chenoweth and clearly keeps Cena’s head in the game.
That being said, the movie itself is framed around a questionable choice. Without spoiling what did or didn’t happen on Marcus and Emily’s raunchy vacation, it causes some unintentional cringe moments that feel like something out of the early-aughts era of tone-deaf comedy. Unfortunately, this makes parts of the film’s second act a bit hard to stomach, as the subject matter feels too serious for such a lightweight and breezy film. If it was rewritten to be a bit clearer from a moral standpoint or ousted completely, the film would land more successfully. Instead, it walks a fine line with sexually charged jokes that would fit better in Seth Rogen’s wheelhouse, where the audience knows and expects that any kind of joke is fair game.
Overall, Vacation Friends makes good on its promise to deliver exactly what you’d expect to see in a film like this. There’s a comfort in knowing this, too, as situational-based comedies with optimistic endings are a rarer find these days. For those needing a break from, well, everything, set your sights on Vacation Friends and leave the comedy to the professionals.
Vacation Friends is now streaming on Hulu.
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