Vacation Friends

A comedy about unlikely friendships, Vacation Friends may be enjoyed by those looking to switch off and be entertained by silly humour. The project has been on the back burner since 2014 and is now being released on Disney Plus with a cast including WWE wrestler John Cena, who has already appeared in Fast and Furious 9 and The Suicide Squad this year.

The story begins with Marcus (Lil Rel Howery) taking his girlfriend Emily (Yvonne Orji) to a luxury resort in Mexico, where he plans to propose to her. His ideas are disrupted by the couple staying in the neighbouring suite, the loud and bubbly thrill-seekers Ron and Kyla (played by John Cena and Meredith Hagner). After some initial friction, Marcus and Emily warm up to the unpredictable duo and decide to follow them on their wild daily adventures. The newly engaged couple lose their inhibitions and learn to live in the moment, but what they see as some harmless fun comes back to haunt them.

When the holiday ends, Ron and Kyla feel like they’ve made friends for life, but Marcus and Emily think they have nothing in common with the eccentric couple and are happy to never see them again. Trouble manifests a few months later, when the protagonists are welcoming their wedding guests and are dismayed by the unexpected appearance of the maverick pair. Days of chaos ensue, but the uninvited couple also bring a breath of fresh air with their spontaneity and optimism. 

Occasionally fun but essentially vacuous, Vacation Friends cannot be described as hilarious or original. The plot’s premise brings to mind Tom Berger’s 1981 film Neighbours, starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, but Clay Tarver’s feature resorts to unlikely scenarios and over-the-top silliness. However, the film does offer a heartwarming message about kindness and respect prevailing over prejudice and scepticism, but, while it elicits a few laughs, the picture is hardly a memorable feat.