Johnson Family Vacation MPAA Rating: PG-13 Entertainment: +2 Content: -1 1/2

Nate Johnson (Cedric the Entertainer) insists that his splintered family members travel together from Southern California to Missouri to visit Mama, his matriarchal mother who is yet to release her grip on her two grown sons, Nate and Mack (Steve Harvey). The two brothers constantly compete to win Mamas approval, and Nate has kept his separation from Dorothy (Vanessa Williams) a secret from her. Dorothy and the three kids agree to participate in Nates charade of a united family, but the two teenagers (Bow Wow, Solange Knowles) resent it while 5-year-old Destiny (Gabby Soleil) is happy to have her mom and dad back together for a few days. The road trip becomes a 2,000 mile nightmare with road rage, jail time, bickering and an encounter with a bizarre hitchhiker. The silliness and unbelievable plot is aimed at young teenagers who agree that parents are clueless.

Despite his zealous competitiveness toward his brother, Nate realizes that no trophy compares to the respect and love of his family. Unfortunately, his efforts to win Dorothys heart usually backfire. And his rationale for ignoring a nun with car trouble while stopping for a sexy teenage hitchhiker (Shannon Elizabeth) and including her in the familys overnight motel stay is disturbing. The stranger at one point repeats a witchs chant. On their first nights stop, Nate finds himself in the motel hot tub minus his trunks with a group of female guests. Further down the road, D.J. relieves himself in a paper cup that is promptly picked up by Dad who takes a swallow and then throws it out the window as a motorcycle cop approaches. Another crude use of humor involves a restaurant cook in a disgusting public restroom scene. A few obscenities, the witchs chant and crude bathroom humor take away from the fun of Johnson Family Vacation.

Preview Reviewer: Mary Draughon
Distributor: Fox Searchlight