Anthony Michael Hall, Beverly D'Angelo, Brian Doyle-Murray

The Griswold family, father Clark W., wife Ellen, daughter Audrey and son Rusty, set out in high spirit to spend their vacation driving cross-country from Chicago to a glorious climax in Walley World ...( read more  read more... )on the West Coast. The trip which Clark planned down to the minute, slowly loses its smoothness from the moment the first grain of sand gets in. A meeting with constantly-in-debt, simple-minded cousin Eddie results in the Griswold family giving cantankerous aunt Edna a lift to Phoenix. Of course, the Griswolds receive one strike of bad luck after another, and when they finally arrive at Walley World, they have to find out that the park is closed for maintenance. But Clark promised his beloved family the best vacation ever...

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80% liked it

92,292 ratings

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94% liked it

32 critics

R, 1 hr. 38 min.

Directed by: Harold Ramis

Release Date: July 29, 1983

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DVD Release Date: August 27, 1997

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Stats: 3,148 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (3,148)


  • September 25, 2009
    The first one was the best one! Love the poster for it.
  • August 8, 2009
    Every summer Chevy Chase takes his family on a little trip. This year he went too far.

    Chevy Chase stars as Clark Griswold, the typical American businessman. Well, almost a basic businessman. He works in food preservatives. Beverly D'Angelo plays his wife, Anthony Michael Hall ...( read more)plays Rusty, his teenage son, and Dana Barron plays his daughter Audrey . This summer, Clark has decided to go all out and take a vacation with his family to "Walley World," a theme park spoof on Disney World, owned by "Roy Walley".

    Basically, this film starts out strong and ends strong. There are many gut grabbing scenes, and the film never resorts to gross out humor. The biggest gross out is when Clark bites into a sandwich a dog leaked on, but that's a different story.

    Along the way to Walley World, everything and everything that can go wrong does, and Clark ends up with Aunt Edna (Imogene Coca), who adds more fun to this wallop of a comedy.

    The laughter just escalates more and more as we see Clark's dreams flush down the toilet farther and farther, and I can't tell you how much I laughed at some of the scenes.

    "Vacation" isn't typical National Lampoon fare.

    Chevy Chase gives by far his best performance (akthough he acts just as well in "Christmas Vacation") as Clark, a real optimist, go get'm kind of guy, who completely snaps toward the end of the film. The rest of the cast does well, and Beverly D'Angelo does surprisingly well as a house wife. The two children, Audrey and Rusy, squawk at each other, but not to the point of obnoxious, which is another good thing about this film.

    Is it no surprise that John Hughes, the king writer/director of the 80's comedy films wrote this, or that Harold Ramis (Groundhog Day, Ghostbusters, Striped, Analyze This) directed the film?

    With cameos by the likes of John Candy, Eugene Levy, Brian Doyle Murray (who played Clark's boss in "Christmas Vacation"), and more, "Vacation" is a comedic triumph of the eighties that is now an icon of how to make a good comedy.
  • July 18, 2009
    MAJOR blast from the past here lol it still holds up pretty well, its actually very funny in spots, mainly down to chase, the classic 80's comedian from the SNL 80's platoon haha the look is historic now and the plot easy going, but the comedy is great and the soundtrack is prett...( read more)y sweet too. Best scenes include...the red Ferarri girl, highjacking WallyWorld, the dead aunt, Randy Quaid as Eddie, arriving at WallyWorld to find its closed and many various in car travel moments. The thing is, you can relate to it haha maybe not now, but back in the day, I had afew roadtrips on hols with the family when I was a kid haha
  • April 27, 2009
    Classic 80's comedy.Chevy chase at he's best...
  • October 19, 2008
    Still cracks me up.
  • November 17, 2009
    This movie is so funny, I love Chevy Chase.
  • November 1, 2009
    Not for everyone but watch if you enjoy family type humour, the actors made the movie
  • October 29, 2009
    The National Lampoon Movies being made now SUCK.If you wanna see a National Lamppon Movie when they were actually funny then watch this movie
  • October 5, 2009
    This movie was awesome,Chevy Chase was great.The best part was when the dog was attacking him,so funny.This whole film is a big laugh.I know its a bit older but some of the stuff is still relatable today.Love this movie
  • September 30, 2009
    comedy starring Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Randy Quaid and Anthony Michael Hall. written by John Hughes. directed by Harold Ramis.

    wanting to spend more time with his wife and kids, Clark Griswold (Chase) decides to take the family on a cross-country vacation to Walley World...( read more)... and along the way, everything that can happen, does happen.

    the first and, in my opinion, the best of the Vacation films. hilarious script, penned by the late-great 80's master, John Hughes and of course, directed by the always awesome Harold Ramis. great cast that includes Eugene Levy, Eddie Bracken, Randy Quaid, John Candy, Anthony Michael Hall and the amazing Mr. Chevy Chase. I am so lucky to have been raised on Mr. Chase's films. he is truly one of the greats.

    classic 80's comedy. ♥

Comments


  • WrellikW
    July 20, 2008
    It's a stupid movie, but I love it! I have taken many road trips and this movie is right on the money. It's a good comedy and I highly recommend it; especially for people that have taken a road trip!

    Take care all,
    William
    Zzzzzooooooommmmmm!

    "It is easy to be brave, from a distance." -American Indian Proverb-
  • elfcentric
    April 9, 2007
    I remember watchin one of national lampoon's series when i was younger... but i cant remember which one...
    But i do remember it was slapstick-laughable....

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National Lampoon's Vacation Trivia


  • In the movie, National Lampoons Vacation, to what theme park are the Griswolds going to?  Answer »
  • In the movie "National Lampoon's Vacation" what is the name of the actor/comedian (R.I.P.) that plays the security guard Chevy Chase takes hostage in Wally World???  Answer »
  •   Answer »
  • In National Lampoons Vacation the man that sells the Griswolds the cabins is also Clark's boss in National Lampoons Christmas Vacation  Answer »

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