National Lampoon's European Vacation

[Highly rated reviewer]

National Lampoons European cliches

This was on TV and I watched it as I quite enjoyed Animal House and the first Vacation film. This was dissapointing and makes you smile occassionaly, rather than laugh out loud. The humor is based on national cliches: the British are either posh and over appologetic or fat and rude, but all obsessed with sex; the French are rude and obsessed with sex; the Germans are overly hospitable, lederhosen clad, violent and obsessed with sex; the Italians are all Mafia members and obsessed with sex; while Americans are culturally ignorant, unable to drive a manual car and obsessed with sex. So an enlightening observation of cultural difference and our shared obsession with sex, rather than a comedy, hehe ;-)

Not much better than average

Okay you take the National Lampoon's Vacation, which was good not great and reduce the number of laughs. A slightly different plot from the first where we follow the Griswolds on holiday again, only this time in Europe.

Taking in England, France, Germany and Italy it turns into cliche comedy and lacks the wit and imagination of the first Griswold film. Chevy Chase continues to be the main gag man and there's a decent performance by the kid who plays Rusty, however it's Beverley D'Angelo who stands out in this film but nothing award winning.

Punctuated by general slapstick it's mildly amusing but not funny enough to warrant going out of your way.