Synopsis

Overworked Bob Munro, his wife Jamie, their Cassie and son Carl are in desperate need of some quality time together. After promising to take them on a family vacation in Hawaii, Bob abruptly changes plans without telling them. They’re going on a road trip to Colorado in a recreational vehicle. Dragging his wife and kids kicking and screaming into the RV, Bob’s togetherness plan (partly a ruse to keep him from losing his job) almost immediately hits a major speed bump. Everything that can go wrong, does. Bob’s lame attempts to navigate the unwieldy, oversized vehicle are met with silence and scorn from his resentful family. Every effort Bob makes to get them into the spirit of the vacation threatens to tear them further apart. Life turns really bad when at an RV camp, the Munro family is befriended by the Gornicke family, an irritatingly endearing happy-go-lucky clan of full-time RVers.

What The Critics Say

"By not going for every laugh and trying to steal every scene, Williams allows RV to cruise along smoothly." Bill Muller ARIZONA REPUBLIC "Williams and Sonnenfeld ... get more mileage out of this vehicle than you'd expect." Sean Means SALT LAKE TRIBUNE "Crowd-pleasing, undemanding fun." Dustin Putman THEMOVIEBOY.COM "Sonnenfeld tries to do for recreational vehicle vacations what Airplane! did for air travel. And, as evidenced by the film's many big laughs, he mainly succeeds." Steve Rhodes INTERNET REVIEWS "The comedy is not revolting garbage, but actually well-written, rapid-paced and funny enough to squeeze howls out of the audience at least once every five minutes." Phil Villarreal ARIZONA DAILY STAR

"Color me surprised when Barry Sonnenfeld's family comedy turned out to be a palatable picture that doesn't rob Robin Williams of his dignity as a comic actor." Peter Canavese GROUCHO REVIEWS "Buoyed by a mostly sharp screenplay by Geoff Rodkey, Sonnenfeld directs with disarming and unobvious flair. The eccentricity of the Gornickes is a particularly winning ingredient in the film. Their R.V. a hallowed Road Hall of Kitsch, is a visual marvel only matched by the endearing garishness of Daniels' and Chenoweth's performances." Joel Meares URBAN CINEFILE "Family-friendly comedy with some gut-shaking chuckles & a heartwarming message." Winda Benedetti SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER "RV has some pacing issues and a few jokes with punchlines telegraphed weeks ago, but the strength of the performances and a troop of likable characters transform it from a film you merely wouldn't regret watching to one you'll actually enjoy." Matt Caracappa BOXOFFICE MAGAZINE "While the film might have trouble taking some of the sharper corners, it's a solid enough family vehicle, with a few bonus accessories thrown in for good measure." Vicky Roach DAILY TELEGRAPH

The Inside Story If you're feeling a bit down in the dumps, need a bit of cheering up or just want to have a fun time at your local cinema then head for Robin McLaurin Williams latest film, "RV", a comedy that shows, even without the zanniness he's made a trademark of throughout his career, he is still a very funny man. The Oscar ® winning actor who wowed us with a serious performance in the 1997 film, "Good Will Hunting", is a man I admire greatly. He has a wealth of versatility when it comes to his screen appearances. Films like "Bicentennial Man", "Insomnia", "Good Morning, Vietnam", "One Hour Photo", "The Bird Cage", "Mrs Doubtfire" and "Dead Poets Society" all showcase the incredible wealth of talent he has. Williams, who is sometimes refered to as a modern-day Danny Kaye, is certainly a fascinating person and one many, including myself, would like to meet in real life. Funnily enough, Williams didn't start out looking for a career in comedy. In fact he studied 'serious acting' at California's Marin College and then at the world-wide acclaimed Juilliard School located at Fifth Avenue and 12th Street, New York. Founded in 1905 the school has produced many noteable actors from amongst its many students, including: Christopher Reeve [whom Williams studied with at Juilliard]; Two Times Tony Award winner Kevin Kline; Academy Award ® winner Kevin Spacey; Academy Award ® winner William Hurt; Val Kilmer [who began acting in high school with friend Kevin Spacey] and Kevin Conroy, who in 1992 was chosen from over 150 candidates to became the voice of Batman in "Batman: The Animated Series". Here's a few items of trivia Robin Williams fans may not be aware of. While studying at Juilliard School he helped pay for his tuition by performing mime. His class teacher John Houseman told Williams he was wasting his time at Juilliard and should pursue a career in stand-up comedy. Williams career in television started way before he starred in "Mork and Mindy". It started in 1977 with the comedy series "Laugh-In", the same year he appeared in his first feature film, the bawdey comedy "Can I Do It...Till I Need Glasses?". His first serious acting role followed in 1980 with "The World According To Garp". It was "Happy Days" producer Gary Marshall who gave Williams his big break. After Williams appeared in an episode of "Happy Days" as Mork, Marshall cast Williams in his own TV sit-com, "Mork and Mindy". It ran from 1978 to 1982. Over the ensuing years, despite a bumpy period fighting drug addiction, Williams has established himself as a popular actor. But there's more to Williams than meets the eye. When his long-time friend and fellow actor Christopher Reeve was tragically injured in a horseriding accident, Williams visited him in hospital disguised as a crazy Russian Doctor and soon had a smile on his friends face. In the latter years of Reeve's life, Williams helped his friend by contributing to Reeve's medical bills. When Williams received the Cecille B DeMille award at the 2004 Golden Globe Awards he dedicated it to his former Juilliard class-mate. That same year on October 10th, Reeve would passaway from cardiac arrest. Finally here's a Robin Williams sports trivia surprise. Williams is a big fan of Rugby Union and his favourite player is All Black representative Jonah Lomu. Lomu was so impressed with Williams interest in both the sport and himself that he flew to San Francisco to present the comedian with a signed All Black jersey. When Williams made a visit to New Zealand, Lomu appeared on television with him and presented the comedian with another jersey. This one had a very special significance. It had Lomu's number on it. In his latest film "RV" Williams plays Bob Munro a man whose 'number' could be up. Family man Bob has promised to tale the wife and kids on vacation to Hawaii, until his boss at Pure Vibe gives him an ultimatum. Bob is forced to meet him in Colorado and help stitch up a deal, or he'll join the ranks of the unemployed. So where did the original idea come from for this very funny film? The beginning of "RV" goes back to when Lucy Fisher and Oscar ® winner Douglas Wick took their three children on an RV holiday. "Doug is a very good vacation planner and we decided to take an RV trip," says the producer of "Memoirs of a Geisha". For those who don't know, Wick spent fourteen years as executive vice president of worldwide production at Warner Bros before taking on the position of vice chairman at Sony Pictures from 1996-2000. "We didn’t really know much about it, but Doug loves to drive things and I like puttering around in the back, so it seemed like a fun idea. We spent a long time researching it, where we were going to get the RV, where we were going to go, etc", says Women in Film's Crystal Award winner Lucy Fisher. The end result was a whole heap of friends joining them and forming a sort of highway caravan brigade. Wick laughs when he recalls "What started out as a 'trucker fantasy' became a wellspring for a comedy about families. RV life is pretty funny because suddenly your whole family is cramped into more or less one room for however long the trip is, and you get to know each other in a whole different way." Wick says he soon learnt that "anything that can go wrong with an RV often does. Each member of his caravan suffered a setback with either the electricity, the plumbing or under the hood. There’s a big learning curve when you join the RV world." There's also the appearance of RV's which range from the modern to classic models. Director Barry Sonnenfeld says just "the look of an RV makes him laugh. RVs are funny for many reasons," notes Sonnenfeld. "First of all they look funny. They’re too tall. They’re too long, they’re sort of ungainly, and inside, they are sort of weirdly full of off-versions of otherwise perfectly good colors." While there can be a serious side to RVing, Sonnenfeld says there is also a humorous one too. "My theory has always been the worse the experience, the better it is when you describe it in retrospect. "RV is about a family that has sort of drifted apart, even though they all still live together. Even when they’re in the same room, they’re apart mentally. Forcing them to be together in this recreational vehicle at first threatens to make them grow even farther apart, but their near-disastrous experiences bring them back together in a hilarious fashion. It’s through adventure and adversity that they are forced to do things together as a family again and to reconnect. “When you’re all driving together and you get a flat tire, and you’re all standing on the side of the road in the rain laughing because there’s no jack and dad is using his 'Tool Man' screwdriver to try and change the tire, that’s something you remember for the rest of your life." That meant finding the right 'dad' for the project. That 'dad' is Robin Williams. "He’s the first person we thought of," says Fisher, "because we wanted someone you believe would take his family on an RV trip and would, at the same time, be completely ill-equipped to do all the mechanical handyman work required. And we were so happy when Robin said yes, because he has heart and he’s one of the world’s most brilliant comic actors." The same thoughts applied to finding the right director to helm the project. "We really wanted a director who was funny and who could bring an original touch to the movie,” says Fisher. "I had worked with Barry on "Men in Black". He’s incredibly talented, and really funny." Her producing partner agrees. "Barry is one of the funniest people you will ever be in a room with," says Wick. A huge part of the funfilled film is centred around the Munro's new found friends, the Gornicke's. The "we are not friendly" Munro's are always trying to escape contact with them. "Dad' of the Gornicke family is Jeff Daniels. His agent really pursued the part and when you see "RV" you'll be glad he did. "When his agent was trying to get Jeff the job, he called me up and said, 'You gotta hire Jeff. He really knows RVs He drives them all the time. He even has a song about RVs, which, in fact, he did," says Sonnenfeld. When he got the job Daniels hopped into his own RV and drove it from Michigan to Vancouver, British Columbia, for the start of principal photography. "I wanted to make a point to Barry and the whole movie crew," Daniels explained. "I wanted to them to think, 'He’s what? No! He’s flying a private jet out, right?' You mean he’s really driving his RV from Michigan to Vancouver?" While making his way down the highways the production team kept in touch. " Along the way they’d call me for updates. My cell-phone would ring, when it worked, and they would ask, 'Where are you now? Are you still alive? It was a lot of fun, "Daniels says. But not as much fun as cinemagoers will have when they take in "RV". The Verdict "I often wonder if some of the so-called 'critics' are watching the same film. It's no wonder 'critics' get a bad name! At the special screening I attended the audience laughed heartily, loud, and long at the onscreen antics. Whoever said Robin Williams career as a comedian is over is a 'horses arse'. In "RV" he shows he still has it. As one cinemagoer told me: "Put simply, If you weren't laughing, you're dead." My sentiments exactly. It's a long while since I've heard an audience laugh in such a hearty manner. Take my advice, whether or not you're in need of a laugh, go see "RV". Recommended viewing. THREE STARS." Cast & Crew Bytes "RV" stars .......
Robin Williams ["Bicentennial Man", "One Hour Photo", "Insomnia" and "The Final Cut"]; Cheryl Hines ["Cheap Curry and Calculus", "Along Came Polly" and "Herbie Fully Loaded"]; Kristin Chenoweth ["Fillmore!", "Bewitched" and "The Pink Panther"]; Joanna 'JoJo' Levesque ["Destination Stardom" and "Developing Sheldon"], Josh Hutcherson ["American Splendor", "The Polar Express", "Kicking & Screaming" and "Zathura: A Space Adventure"] and Jeff Daniels ["The Hours", "The Good Girl", "Because of Winn-Dixie" and "Good Night, and Good Luck"] as Travis Gornicke.
"RV" was .......
directed by Barry Sonnenfeld B.A. & M.F.A. ["The Addams Family", "Get Shorty", "Men in Black" and "Men in Black II"]; screenplay by Geoff Rodkey ["Daddy Day Care" and "The Shaggy Dog"]; cinematography by Fred Murphy A.S.C. ["The Mothman Prophecies", "Auto Focus" and "Secret Window"]; original music by twenty four times winner of the ASCAP Award James Newton Howard ["Collateral", "The Ring 2", "Batman Begins" and "King Kong"] costume design by Mary E Vogt ["Crazy People", "Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult", "Men in Black" and "Men in Black II"] and production design by Michael S Bolton ["Look Who's Talking Now", "Romeo Must Die" and "White Noise"]. Run Time 99 minutes Rated PG [AUST] Copyright ©2006 - Sony Pictures Entertainment - All Rights Reserved ENDURING © - The Movie Pages & Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved