The title We’re the Millers suggests a family, and that gives it a warm, comforting feeling. The four people at the center of the movie, however, are not really a family at all. They are unrelated people who know one another only loosely, brought together for a particular purpose and asked to pretend that they belong together.
What makes the movie pleasant to watch is how this fake arrangement gradually becomes something more genuine. As they spend time together, they grow closer and begin to act less like strangers. All four also come across as basically good-hearted people. By the end, it is easy to imagine them remaining part of one another’s lives—perhaps even becoming a real family in their own way.
The movie also contains several memorable comic moments. One involves another family they meet on the way back to the United States. The father turns out to be a DEA agent, creating a ridiculous contrast while the Millers are transporting drugs. He comes across as dedicated, funny, and capable, which makes the situation even more amusing.
Another memorable moment is the shocking scene witnessed by that family’s daughter, when the fake mother and fake daughter take turns kissing the boy playing their son. The scene is shocking and very funny.
Even with all these comic situations, We’re the Millers can still feel warm. At its heart, it is about four strangers becoming close, forming something like a family, and perhaps beginning a bond that could last for the rest of their lives.