We're the Millers
We're the Millers is a 2013 road black comedy film directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber and starring Jennifer Aniston, Jason Sudeikis, Emma Roberts, Will Poulter, Nick Offerman, Kathryn Hahn, Molly Quinn, and Ed Helms. The film's screenplay was written by Bob Fisher, Steve Faber, Sean Anders, and John Morris, based on a story by Fisher and Faber. The plot follows a small-time pot dealer who convinces his neighbors to help him by pretending to be his family in order to smuggle drugs from Mexico into the United States.
The film premiered at the Traverse City Film Festival on August 3, 2013 and was released on August 7, 2013, by Warner Bros. Pictures. Despite mixed reviews, it was a box office success, grossing $270 million worldwide against a $37 million budget during its theatrical run. It was nominated for four People's Choice Awards, and six MTV Movie Awards, winning two.
Plot
In Denver, low-level marijuana dealer David Clark is robbed of his money and stash, some of which he owes to his supplier and college acquaintance Brad Gurdlinger. Gurdlinger forces him to smuggle marijuana from Mexico to clear his debt. Realizing that attempting to get through customs alone would be suspicious, David hires his neighborsa stripper stage-named Rose; local runaway Casey; and naïve, recently abandoned teenager Kennyto pose as his wife, daughter, and son respectively, dubbing themselves the "Millers".When the Millers reach the compound, they learn it is not "a smidge" as Gurdlinger described, but two tons. They are stopped by authorities twice, but get by on bribery and sheer luck. Due to the extra load from the marijuana on the RV, one of the radiator hoses breaks. The Fitzgeralds, a family actually vacationing in an RV whom the Millers had encountered at the border, catch up to them and tow them to a repair shop. On the way, they learn that Don is a DEA agent, alarming them.
Kenny develops a crush on Melissa. After he reveals that he has never kissed a girl, Casey and Rose give him kissing lessons while David films; Melissa walks in on them and assumes they are in an incestuous relationship.
Gurdlinger misled David, as the marijuana is stolen from cartel boss Pablo Chacon. The next day, when the Millers head to the shop for the RV, Chacon and his henchman One-Eye are waiting for them. As he prepares to kill the Millers, they disclose they are not a real family and did not know they were stealing from him. Rose is given a chance to prove that she is a stripper by dancing in her underwear, and when she gets close to Chacon, she turns a steam vent onto him. The Millers then escape in the RV, with Kenny behind the wheel.
Due to Kenny's erratic driving, the RV veers off the highway and crashes. In the commotion, a tarantula that snuck aboard the RV in Mexico crawls up Kenny's leg and bites his testicles, resulting in him being hospitalized. This setback further delays the delivery of the drugs, but David renegotiates with Gurdlinger for a fee of $500,000 on the condition he arrives that night.
When Kenny is finally released from the hospital, David rushes him to the RV in a wheelchair and accidentally tips him over. In the ensuing argument, David inadvertently reveals how much he is getting paid, in comparison to how little he offered to pay each of the others. Disgusted by the revelation, Rose, Casey, and Kenny part company with him. David drives away, leaving them at the local carnival, but later regrets abandoning them and returns.
After David apologizes to the trio for not being upfront with them, they agree to rejoin him to get home. As the Millers make their way to the RV, One-Eye finds them but, before he can shoot them, Don comes out of his camper and subdues him. Chacon then comes around the corner with Melissa held at gunpoint and is about to kill them all; however, he is momentarily distracted by the 4th of July fireworks, so David and Kenny subdue him. Kenny kisses Melissa, prompting David to kiss Rose. Don arrests Chacon but lets the Millers leave.
Gurdlinger reveals that he never intended to pay David for smuggling the marijuana. When David delivers it to him, DEA agents arrive and take him into custody thanks to David's tip. Don tells David that he and any witnesses of the crime will be placed into witness protection until Gurdlinger and Chacon's trials. Later, the Millers, now under witness protection together, are living in a suburban house with marijuana plants growing in the backyard.
Production
The development of the movie first began in 2002. New Line Cinema acquired the script in 2004 In March 2005, Peter Cattaneo had signed on to direct, and Will Arnett entered talks to play David Clark later in November. In February 2006, Steve Buscemi was reported to join. The film ended up in development hell until 2010 when a new draft was produced by Dan Fybel and Rich Rinaldi. Burr Steers and eventual rewriters Sean Anders and John Morris were considered to replace Cattaneo. Rawson Marshall Thurber signed on as director in 2011, and Jason Bateman became attached as the lead two months later. In April 2012, Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudeikis joined the cast. Emma Roberts, Will Poulter, Ed Helms and Kathryn Hahn were added in July.Production began in Wilmington, North Carolina, on July 23, 2012. Filming also took place in New Mexico. It was presented at the 2013 Traverse City Film Festival.