Jennifer Aniston’s Raunchy Road Comedy Is A Hazy Adventure Of A Lifetime

By Robert Scucci
| Updated 7 minutes ago

What could possibly go wrong when a low-level drug dealer, a stripper, the socially awkward 18-year-old virgin boy living down the hall, and a runaway teenage girl try to transport two tons of marijuana across the Mexican border in an RV while posing as a family? If you’ve ever asked yourself that question, 2013’s We’re the Millers will break it all down for you. A high-caliber road comedy that wastes no time getting lost in the weeds, We’re the Millers is a dangerous story about drug cartels, evading the DEA, and found family that ends up being surprisingly heartwarming given the chaos that kicks off the chain of events.

Sometimes the journey is more important than the destination, and We’re the Millers has a whole lot of fun taking you there if you’re willing to keep up with the charade.

That Escalated Quickly

When David Clark (Jason Sudeikis) loses his supply and money after a run in with local thugs, his employer, Brad Gurdlinger (Ed Helms), sends him on a risky mission to transport “a smidge” of marijuana across the Mexican border. David is told that his debt will be wiped clean and he’ll be paid handsomely if he pulls it off. A low-level drug dealer with zero experience in international transport, he needs a believable plan fast, which leads him to the neighbors in his apartment complex: Rose (Jennifer Aniston), a down-on-her-luck stripper facing eviction, Kenny (Will Poulter), a socially awkward young man recently abandoned by his mother, and Casey (Emma Roberts), a runaway with nothing to lose.

Posing as the Millers, the four head to Mexico, only to discover that the “smidge” they’re transporting is actually two tons of product. Things get even worse when David realizes Brad failed to mention he’s stealing the drugs from Pablo Chacon (Tomer Sisley), a ruthless cartel boss who isn’t known for his forgiving nature.

On the run and desperate to finish the job, the Millers hit obstacle after obstacle. Their RV breaks down, and they’re rescued by the Fitzgerald family, whose patriarch, Don (Nick Offerman), just so happens to be a DEA agent. Every time the Millers think they’ve avoided being outed as drug mules, another complication pops up, and everything continues to spiral.

Toes The Line Of Ridiculousness

Given how wild the premise of We’re the Millers is, the film never goes so over-the-top that you have to suspend a ton of disbelief. We’re definitely watching extraordinary events unfold, but the Millers only survive because everyone else around them is even more incompetent than they are.

Getting searched at the border? No problem, because the guards are understaffed and a more pressing situation interrupts the inspection. Corrupt law enforcement agent demanding a bribe? Luckily he’s only asking for the equivalent of $80 USD. Kidnapped by a cartel in a garage where no one can hear you scream? It’s fine, because Jennifer Aniston is about to start stripping, which is more than enough to shut down any hardened criminal’s thought process.

Every setback is just a setup for the next chase as the Millers barrel toward the US border with thousands of pounds of contraband in tow. Even Don Fitzgerald, a no-nonsense DEA agent, softens toward the Millers because he appreciates the intimate advice he gets from Dave, unaware of what’s really hiding in the RV.

A Surprisingly Wholesome Film, All Things Considered

We’re the Millers isn’t just raunchy for shock value. Its setup is quick, the stakes are clear, and the exposition is minimal, which is exactly what a road comedy needs. We learn about the characters through their interactions, and everything is shown rather than explained. Getting the logistics out of the way early gives the film room to build genuine characterization. From the messy tension between Dave and Rose, who claim to hate each other but both need the payout, to Kenny and Casey’s awkward coming-of-age moments as they try not to blow their covers, the banter always feels natural, even when the situation is absurd.

What starts as a stupid, high-risk delivery job becomes a wholesome story about found family, putting your ego aside, and surviving something ridiculous together. By the end, the Millers feel like your average dysfunctional family, even without blood relation. Some of the best moments involve Dave and Rose slipping into real parental roles, lecturing the teenagers and keeping tabs on them like they actually care. They may not be related, but the bond they form proves that sometimes water is thicker than blood.

We’re the Millers is streaming on Netflix.