Honestly, nobody expected much from a movie about a fake family smuggling drugs in an RV. On paper, We're the Millers sounds like a direct-to-DVD bargain bin resident. But then you watch it. You see Jason Sudeikis playing David Clark, a low-level pot dealer who is just cynical enough to be relatable, and suddenly, the chemistry clicks. It’s been over a decade since it hit theaters in 2013, and yet, it’s still one of those rare R-rated comedies that feels fresh every time it pops up on a streaming algorithm.
It worked.
The premise is simple, almost stupidly so. David gets robbed, owes his eccentric, orca-loving boss (played by a peak Ed Helms) a massive debt, and has to haul a "smidge" of weed across the Mexican border. His solution? Create a camouflage of suburban normalcy. He hires his neighbor Rose (Jennifer Aniston), a cynical stripper, a socially awkward teenager named Kenny (Will Poulter), and a homeless girl named Casey (Emma Roberts). They become the Millers. It’s a cynical take on the American Dream that somehow manages to have a massive heart buried under layers of "Lebron James" weed jokes and spider bites.
Why We're the Millers Avoided the "Comedy Slump"
Most comedies from the early 2010s have aged like milk. They rely on tropes that feel cringey now or jokes that just don't land in a more self-aware culture. We're the Millers dodged that bullet. Why? Because it’s fundamentally about the family we choose, even if we’re paying that family to help us commit international drug trafficking.
The casting was lightning in a bottle. Jennifer Aniston was already a global superstar, but this role allowed her to lean into a grittier, sharper comedic timing that Friends didn't always showcase. Then you have Will Poulter. Before he was a Marvel superhero or a serious dramatic actor, he was the kid getting a massive spider bite in a place no one wants a spider bite. That scene alone—which, fun fact, involved a very realistic prosthetic—became an instant hall-of-fame comedy moment.
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Rawton Tomatoes scores usually hate these kinds of movies. Critics called it "predictable" or "crude." They weren't necessarily wrong, but they missed the point. The audience score tells a different story. People loved it because it didn't try to be high art. It just tried to be funny. And it was. It earned over $270 million worldwide on a $37 million budget. That’s not just a "hit"; it’s a landslide.
The Anatomy of the "Waterfalls" Scene
You know the one. TLC’s "Waterfalls" starts playing, and the fake Miller family starts rapping along. It’s a tiny moment of genuine bonding in a sea of chaos. It’s also one of the most searched clips from the movie. This wasn't just a scripted gag; it felt like watching four actors actually having fun.
The production was actually quite grueling. Filming in Wilmington, North Carolina, and parts of New Mexico meant dealing with intense heat while pretending to be in a cramped RV. Director Rawson Marshall Thurber, who later did Red Notice, knew that the movie lived or died on whether you believed these four losers actually started to care about each other. If the chemistry failed, the movie failed. It didn't.
The "Chert" and the Reality of Drug Smuggling Movies
Let’s talk about the "Chert." In the movie, the "smidge" of weed David is supposed to pick up turns out to be two tons of "Chert"—a fictional, high-grade strain. This is where the movie leans into the absurdity of the drug trade. While most films like Sicario or Traffic treat the border with grim intensity, We're the Millers uses it as a backdrop for a mid-life crisis.
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Interestingly, the film handles the "mule" trope with a bit more self-awareness than its peers. David isn't a kingpin. He’s a guy who sells to soccer moms and chefs. By putting him in a situation where he has to face actual cartels, the stakes feel real even when the jokes are flying. This balance is hard to strike. If the danger isn't real, the comedy has no tension. If the danger is too real, it’s not a comedy anymore.
The Cast: Where Are They Now?
It’s wild to see where this group went.
- Jason Sudeikis: He went from the "funny guy from SNL" to the creator of Ted Lasso, arguably one of the most beloved shows of the last decade. You can see the DNA of David Clark in Ted Lasso—the quick wit, the fast talking—just without the drug dealing.
- Will Poulter: He’s had one of the most fascinating careers. From The Revenant to Midsommar and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, he’s proven he has incredible range. But for a whole generation, he will always be the kid who learned how to kiss from his "sister" and "mom."
- Jennifer Aniston: She’s continued to dominate both TV and film, but We're the Millers remains one of her highest-grossing live-action comedies.
- Emma Roberts: She transitioned into a horror icon with American Horror Story and Scream Queens, but her "Casey" character provided the necessary "Gen Z" (or late Millennial) cynicism the movie needed.
What Most People Get Wrong About a Sequel
For years, rumors of We're the Millers 2 swirled around Hollywood. In 2014, New Line Cinema even hired Adam Sztykiel to write a script. So, what happened?
Basically, the stars aligned for the first one, but the second one got stuck in "development hell." The original cast became too busy and too expensive. Sudeikis became an A-lister. Aniston is always booked. Poulter moved into prestige drama. Sometimes, a movie is better off as a standalone win rather than a dragged-out franchise. We don't need to see the Millers in Europe or the Millers at a wedding. The story of four strangers becoming a fake family to survive a drug run is a complete arc.
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How to Watch It Today
If you're looking to revisit this gem, it’s usually floating around on Max (formerly HBO Max) or available for rent on the usual platforms. It’s the perfect "I don't want to think, I just want to laugh" movie.
If you haven't seen the outtakes during the credits, stop what you're doing and find them. There’s a specific prank the cast played on Jennifer Aniston involving the Friends theme song "I'll Be There For You" that is genuinely heartwarming. It shows the camaraderie that made the film work in the first place.
Practical Steps for Your Next Movie Night
If you're planning a rewatch or seeing it for the first time, keep these things in mind to get the most out of the experience:
- Watch the Unrated Version: If you have the choice, go for the unrated cut. It adds about eight minutes of footage, mostly extended riffs and more graphic gags that didn't make the theatrical PG-13/R-borderline cut.
- Look for the Cameos: Keep an eye out for Nick Offerman and Kathryn Hahn. They play a vacationing DEA agent and his wife. Their "straight-edge" energy contrasted against the Millers' secret criminality provides some of the best cringe comedy in the film.
- Check Out the Soundtrack: Beyond the TLC joke, the soundtrack is a great time capsule of 2013, featuring tracks from Aerosmith and Frank Ocean.
- Pair it with Similar Hits: If you like the vibe, follow it up with Game Night or Horrible Bosses. These films share that same "ordinary people in way over their heads" DNA that Sudeikis excels at.
There's no complex philosophy here. We're the Millers succeeded because it was unpretentious. It knew exactly what it was: a foul-mouthed, high-energy road trip movie that reminded us that sometimes, the family you buy with drug money is better than the one you’re born into. Sorta. Not really. But you get the point.