Johnson Family Vacation
Fox Searchlight Pictures | Release Date: April 7, 2004 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
29
METASCORE
Generally unfavorable reviews based on 24 Critic Reviews
Positive:
0
Mixed:
11
Negative:
13
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
60
Los Angeles TimesKevin Thomas
An easygoing, earthy comedy that's a good showcase for the robust comic gifts of Cedric the Entertainer. Read full review
50
USA TodayClaudia Puig
Too bad first-time director Christopher Erskin, who cut his teeth on music videos and commercials, took so many predictable turns on this Vacation. Read full review
50
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
The movie itself is genial and unfocused and tired. Read full review
50
New York Daily NewsJami Bernard
I'd like to believe I could watch ­Cedric the Entertainer all day long. The tedious comedy Johnson Family Vacation puts a strain on that theory. Read full review
50
The Hollywood ReporterFrank Scheck
Mild in both humor and impact, this well-cast comedy should provide welcome diversion during the holidays for audiences looking for a somewhat lighter experience than the crucifixion of Christ or the massacre at the Alamo. Read full review
50
VarietyBrian Lowry
Mostly squanders some very gifted performers. Guided by a slapdash script, this vehicle for Cedric the Entertainer is tantamount to embarking on a cross-country journey without a map, making the ride predictably uneven. Read full review
42
Entertainment WeeklyLisa Schwarzbaum
Strands Cedric the Entertainer behind the wheel and forces him to motor a collection of laugh-and-learn wacky situations by sheer force of his outsize charm. Read full review
40
TV Guide MagazineAngel Cohn
For most of the film, Cedric seems to be holding back, though his relationship with genuinely charming rapper-turned-actor (Lil') Bow Wow offers up a few funny moments. Read full review
40
The New York TimesDana Stevens
Feels more like a grueling road trip in search of a family comedy. Read full review
40
L.A. WeeklyScott Foundas
The picture shows vital signs only in a few scenes where Cedric takes on the additional role of his own lecherous uncle, but it's too little too late. Read full review
40
Washington PostMichael O'Sullivan
Cedric the Entertainer is the best (and probably only) reason to take this "Vacation." Read full review
38
Baltimore SunChris Kaltenbach
Lame. Read full review
38
Boston GlobeWesley Morris
Boring, mediocre movie. Read full review
38
Philadelphia InquirerCarrie Rickey
Apart from Williams' presence, director Christopher Erskin's feature debut isn't worth the price of submission. It's not a road trip; it's a road trap. Read full review
38
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Rick Groen
If laughs are the currency of any comedy, then this one pays minimum wage and, worse, makes you work damn hard even for that pittance. Read full review
30
The A.V. ClubKeith Phipps
It's a sign of trouble when watching a movie prompts nostalgia for the movie it's ripping off, particularly when that movie wasn't any good. But walking out of Johnson Family Vacation, it's hard not to feel misty-eyed for the urine-soaked-sandwich gags, incest jokes, and other refined comic elements of "National Lampoon's Vacation." Read full review
30
SalonStephanie Zacharek
The direction on Johnson Family Vacation is numbingly slack; the synapses between the scenes don't spark effortlessly, as they should, and the whole enterprise feels dragged-down and belabored. Read full review
25
Seattle Post-IntelligencerSean Axmaker
Tired and glib, it tries to milk humor from the sniping, sass and simple disrespect of its unpleasant traveling companions. Read full review
25
Charlotte ObserverLawrence Toppman
You won't see a single joke here you haven't encountered before, all in funnier forms. Read full review
25
San Francisco ChroniclePeter Hartlaub
Nearly a scene-for-scene rip-off of "National Lampoon's Summer Vacation" -- where the only substantive change from the original is a reversed travel route. Read full review
20
Village VoiceDavid Ng
The movie contains exactly two chuckle-worthy moments. Read full review
20
Austin ChronicleMarjorie Baumgarten
As arduous to watch as your neighbor’s poorly focused vacation slides. Read full review
12
Chicago TribuneAllison Benedikt
Johnson Family Vacation is simply a bad trip. Read full review
10
Dallas ObserverRobert Wilonsky
The entire enterprise was directed by first-timer Christopher Erskin like a would-be Max Bialystock; one can only assume it's supposed to be this bad, because nobody sucks this hard on accident. Read full review
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