Vegas Vacation (1997)

Vegas Vacation is the kind of broad, bright comedy that knows exactly what it’s selling: the Griswolds dropped into a city designed to tempt, distract, and cheerfully separate you from your better judgment. Chevy Chase plays Clark like a man who can turn even a vow-renewal into a slapstick stress test, while the film’s real pleasure comes from letting each family member spin off into their own neon-lit misadventure—some sweet, some silly, all pitched with a playful, anything-can-happen vibe. Beverly D’Angelo brings a grounded warmth that keeps the chaos from feeling mean, and the supporting cast (especially a perfectly on-brand Cousin Eddie and a game, self-parodying Vegas legend or two) adds just enough sparkle to make the trip feel like a proper event. It’s not the sharpest Vacation entry and it’s definitely comfortable in its ‘90s PG naughtiness, but if you want an easy, crowd-pleasing laugh with a big, gaudy setting and a surprisingly sincere streak, this one hits the jackpot.

Vegas Vacation is clearly trying to bottle the franchise’s old formula—Clark’s optimism versus inevitable chaos—by dropping the Griswolds into Vegas glitz, easy money, and temptation. The problem is the jokes often feel soft and corny, leaning on familiar sitcom beats and celebrity bits more than genuinely sharp set pieces, so it can play more “mildly busy” than laugh-out-loud. Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo still have comfortable chemistry, and Randy Quaid brings some chaotic energy, but the movie’s pacing and thin story can make it feel like the series running on fumes. If you want the tighter, more inventive mayhem of the earlier Vacation movies, this may disappoint; if you’re fine with a light, PG-ish time capsule of ’90s Vegas and low-stakes gags, it’s an easy enough watch.