Let's be real for a second. In 2013, everyone was talking about one thing: Jennifer Aniston playing a stripper. It felt like a massive pivot at the time. We’d spent a decade watching her as Rachel Green on Friends, the ultimate girl-next-door. Then, suddenly, she’s in a dingy RV with Jason Sudeikis, wearing a blonde wig and pretending to be a suburban mom named Sarah while secretly being a dancer named Rose O'Reilly who can't pay her rent.
It was a gamble. Honestly, it was the kind of role that could have been a total disaster if it felt forced. But it didn't. Jennifer Aniston in We're the Millers ended up being one of the most successful R-rated comedies of that decade, raking in $270 million worldwide on a relatively modest $37 million budget.
The Unexpected Physics of Being Rose O'Reilly
People usually focus on the striptease scene at the warehouse. You know the one—the "Flashdance" moment where she uses a steam vent to distract a drug lord. But what most folks forget is how much work went into that look. Aniston was 44 at the time. She didn't just wake up looking like that. She was open about the "Yogalosophy" routine with trainer Mandy Ingber and a strict diet that basically involved a lot of kale and very little of the junk food the rest of the cast was probably eating on set.
There’s a hilarious, somewhat frantic detail she shared later about the actual filming of that scene. She was terrified of a wardrobe malfunction. Like, legitimately stressed.
"I had no taping," she told reporters. "I really just doubled my bras. I had a thong and then two pairs of underwear."
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She basically wore three bras because she was convinced something was going to "escape" during the dance. It’s a funny image: one of the biggest stars in the world, standing under a literal waterfall of sparks, worrying about her layers of lingerie. That's the thing about Aniston. She makes it look effortless, but the behind-the-scenes reality is usually much more relatable and kinda chaotic.
Why the Chemistry Fired on All Cylinders
The movie works because the fake family feels like a real disaster. You’ve got Jason Sudeikis as David, the small-time pot dealer who thinks he’s way smarter than he is. Then you have Emma Roberts as the cynical runaway Casey and Will Poulter as the painfully awkward Kenny.
The "Waterfalls" sing-along in the RV is a perfect example of why this cast clicked. It wasn't just scripted jokes; it was the timing. Will Poulter’s commitment to rapping Left Eye’s verse is legendary. It’s also one of the rare times you see Aniston break character just a tiny bit—you can see the genuine amusement on her face.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Film
There’s a common critique that Jennifer Aniston in We're the Millers was just "eye candy." That’s a lazy take. If you actually watch the movie, Rose is the emotional backbone. David is selfish and ready to ditch the kids the second things get hairy. Rose is the one who steps up. When Kenny gets a spider bite in a... very sensitive area... she’s the one who refuses to leave the hospital until he’s okay.
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She turned a "stripper with a heart of gold" trope into something that actually felt human.
The Blooper That Went Viral
If you haven't seen the credits of the movie, you’re missing the best part. The crew decided to prank Aniston during a take of the RV sing-along. Instead of "Waterfalls" by TLC, they blasted the Friends theme song, "I'll Be There For You."
The look on her face is priceless. It’s a mix of "Are you serious?" and "I love you guys." It was a meta-moment that acknowledged her massive TV history while she was busy reinventing herself as a comedy movie powerhouse. It’s probably one of the most famous bloopers in modern cinema, and it solidified the fact that she wasn't precious about her past.
The Box Office Reality Check
Critics weren't exactly kind to the movie when it first dropped. It’s sitting at about a 48% on Rotten Tomatoes. But here’s the thing: audiences loved it. It got an A- CinemaScore. Why the gap?
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- Relatability: Everyone has had a nightmare road trip.
- The R-Rating: It wasn't afraid to be gross, but it wasn't mean-spirited.
- The Pivot: Seeing Aniston play against type was a massive draw.
The movie proved that you didn't need a $200 million superhero budget to dominate the summer. You just needed a good premise, a van, and a cast that actually liked each other.
How to Watch It Now
If you’re looking to revisit the "Miller" family, it’s a staple on streaming platforms like Max or Netflix depending on the month. It’s the ultimate "background movie" that you end up watching start-to-finish every single time it's on.
To get the most out of a rewatch, keep an eye on the background characters. Nick Offerman and Kathryn Hahn as the straight-laced Fitzgeralds are arguably the funniest part of the second act. Their "swinging" scene in the tent is comedy gold, mostly because of how uncomfortable Sudeikis and Aniston look.
If you want to dive deeper into the making of the film, look for the "Yogalosophy" breakdowns or the "Gag Reel" on YouTube. It shows just how much improvisation was happening on that RV set. Aniston's performance as Rose wasn't just about a dance; it was about proving she could lead a raunchy ensemble comedy and win. She didn't just play the mom; she owned the movie.