Alright, fellow travelers down the magnetic tape highway, let's rewind to 1985. Picture this: you've worn out your copy of the original Vacation, maybe even quoted Cousin Eddie one too many times. You hit the video store, the fluorescent lights buzzing overhead, and there it is – a familiar station wagon, but this time with Big Ben looming behind it. National Lampoon's European Vacation. The Griswolds Go Abroad! It promised more chaos, more cringe, more Clark Griswold tripping over his own American enthusiasm on a whole new continent. And boy, did it deliver... sort of.
### Pig in a Poke, Continent in Chaos
The film kicks off with the Griswolds winning the grand prize on the delightfully cheesy game show "Pig in a Poke" – a two-week tour of Europe. Right away, the vibe feels a bit different from the gritty, almost mean-spirited brilliance of Harold Ramis's original. This sequel, helmed by Amy Heckerling (hot off the success of Fast Times at Ridgemont High), feels broader, brighter, maybe a little more cartoonish. It swaps the cross-country road trip's dusty realism for a series of increasingly absurd European vignettes.
Of course, the first thing many of us noticed was the kids swap. Rusty and Audrey looked... different. With Anthony Michael Hall opting to star in Weird Science instead (a decision reportedly encouraged by John Hughes, who wrote both!), Jason Lively stepped in as Rusty, while the late, great Dana Hill brought a unique, almost aggressively awkward energy to Audrey. It threw you off for a minute, like finding a glitch on the tape, but you rolled with it. That was part of the charm of these 80s sequels – consistency wasn't always king.
### London, Paris, Rome... Oh Dear
The episodic structure feels almost like channel surfing through European stereotypes, seen through the lens of peak 80s American comedy. We get Clark navigating a London roundabout for what feels like an eternity ("Look kids, Big Ben! Parliament!"), the accidental demolition of Stonehenge with their temperamental rental car (a moment of pure, blissful slapstick), Clark's disastrous attempt at Bavarian folk dancing with bemused German relatives, and Ellen (Beverly D'Angelo, ever the charmingly exasperated anchor) getting roped into a risqué Parisian film. Remember that? D'Angelo remains the heart of these movies, somehow grounding Clark's mania while still getting her own moments of comedic absurdity.
Chevy Chase is in full Clark mode here – the well-meaning but utterly clueless patriarch whose attempts at creating perfect family memories inevitably spiral into disaster. His physical comedy, while maybe not as sharp as in the first film, still lands some genuine laughs. The way he barrels through situations with a misplaced confidence is quintessential Griswold. It’s fascinating that the script originated with John Hughes, who penned the original short story and the first film's screenplay. However, Hughes reportedly wasn't thrilled with the final direction Heckerling and co-writer Robert Klane took, perhaps finding it too silly compared to his preferred blend of humor and heart (or darkness). You can almost feel that slight tonal tug-of-war sometimes.
### That Distinctly 80s Sheen
Watching European Vacation now feels like unearthing a time capsule. The fashion, the slightly synth-heavy score by Charles Fox, the sheer American-ness projected onto European settings – it screams mid-80s. There’s an undeniable energy, though, even if the jokes occasionally rely on stereotypes that make you wince a little today. It's a product of its time, warts and all. Let's not forget the fantastic cameo by Monty Python legend Eric Idle as a chipper British bike rider who keeps unfortunately crossing paths with the Griswolds. His politeness in the face of repeated injury is pure gold.
The film did well commercially, pulling in nearly $50 million against a $17 million budget, proving audiences were hungry for more Griswold antics. Critics were less kind than they were to the original, often pointing to the looser structure and broader gags. But for many of us renting it on a Friday night, it was just fun seeing Clark and Ellen bumble their way through Europe. It lacked the edge of the first film and didn't quite hit the cozy highs of Christmas Vacation (1989), but it carved out its own goofy niche.
I distinctly remember the slightly fuzzy picture on my parents' chunky CRT TV, the volume turned up to catch every "Dad, I think he's gonna pork her!" It wasn't high art, but it was comfortable. It felt like visiting dysfunctional relatives you couldn't help but chuckle at.
Rating: 6/10
Justification: While undeniably funny in spots and fueled by Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo's chemistry, European Vacation feels more like a collection of sketches than a cohesive story. It lacks the satirical bite of the original and relies more heavily on broader, sometimes dated gags. The recasting of the kids is a bit jarring, and Hughes' reported dissatisfaction hints at a slightly missed potential. However, it delivers enough genuine laughs (Eric Idle! The roundabout!), 80s nostalgia, and Griswoldian chaos to be a worthwhile watch, especially for fans of the series. It’s a fun, if flawed, postcard from a specific era of comedy.
Final Thought: It may not be the crème de la crème of the Vacation series, but grab a tape (or your modern equivalent), settle in, and remember: when in Rome... try not to get kidnapped by Italian thieves after appearing in a weird movie billboard. Classic Griswold.