RV

Jeff Daniels (left) and Robin Williams in 'RV'.

Herald rating: * *

If you have ever romanticised about taking a large recreational vehicle, filling it with family and heading on a road trip, RV will make you think twice.

Robin Williams is Bob Munro, an overworked executive for a soda company who is forced to cancel his summer holiday with his family to Hawaii when his boss threatens to fire him if he doesn't attend a merger meeting with another company based in the Rocky Mountains.

Aware his kids are growing up and that he rarely gets to spend time with them, Bob comes up with the idea of disguising his work trip as a family bonding vacation by hiring an RV and taking the whole family.

Hawaii would have been a much better idea, for both Bob's family and the audience, as once this trip gets under way you can see the gags coming down the highway from a long way away.

Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld (Men in Black),the movie starts promisingly with witty sarcastic one-liners dished out by Bob's family, but soon the wit gives way to predictable toilet humour and driving gags, ultimately finishing with a cheap feelgood ending.

Williams seems miscast in this National Lampoon's Vacation-like comedy. The situations he's given to work with make his improvised comedy routines look dated, and the more he tries to get down with the kids, the more you feel for his kids. This is one trip Williams should have missed.

Cast: Robin Williams, Cheryl Hines, Kristin Chenoweth, Jeff Daniels, Will Arnett
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Running Time: 99 minutes
Rating: PG, course language
Screening: Village, Hoyts, Berkeley

Verdict: Funny one-liners not enough to save this road trip.