Chicago, travel down holiday road all over again with a free screening of Vacation
James Griswold: I’ve never even heard of the original vacation.
Rusty Griswold: Doesn’t matter. The new vacation will stand on its own, okay?
And so continues the summer of the self-aware franchise reboot. After Jurassic World and Terminator Genisys both cracked wise and directly commented on the continuity of their predecessors, Vacation is here to assure us that, yes, it knows audiences are wary of the fact that it’s retreading a classic movie, but it’s going to do it anyway. Grown up Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms) decides he wants to take his family on a trip to his beloved Wally World, so the Griswolds 2.0 set out on a wacky holiday road. Along the way, they pay a visit to sister Audrey (Leslie Mann), her hunky hubby (Chris Hemsworth), and, of course, mom and dad (Beverly D’Angelo and Chevy Chase). Vacation hits theaters everywhere on July 29, but The A.V. Club and New Line Cinema have an opportunity for you to see it for free on July 23. For your chance to win a pair of passes to the advance screening, simply follow the link here and enter your information. Remember: Seats are first come, first served, so be sure to arrive early. You can find an official plot synopsis and trailer below.
“The next generation of Griswolds is at it again—and on the road for another ill-fated adventure. Following in his father’s footsteps and hoping for some much-needed family bonding, a grown-up Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms) surprises his wife, Debbie (Christina Applegate), and their two sons with a cross-country trip back to America’s ‘favorite family fun park,’ Walley World.”