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College Road Trip is the rarest of rare in today’s cinema.  It is a non-animated family film that the entire family can enjoy.  Even in films like Shrek that were pushed as family faire, there are episodes of ‘potty humor’.  This film is so clean your Baptist in-laws wouldn’t be offended.

The story is as familiar as Hollywood itself.  Melanie (Raven-Symone) is a Chicago suburb high school senior getting ready for college.  But she is also Daddy’s little girl.  Daddy is Martin Lawrence, a county Sheriff with more than a few issues on letting his first born go.  He has been putting the idea in her head that her best option is to attend Northwestern, a school a scant few miles away.  But she is just as strong-willed and secures an interview with Georgetown University, all the way in D.C.  Melanie plans to go on a college visitation road trip with her gal pals. 

Dad has other ideas and decides to drive his little girl to Georgetown, thus beginning one of the oldest genre plots in cinema existence—the wacky road trip.  It is to be a daddy/daughter bonding experience.  The first stop is Northwestern University and the meeting of a dad/daughter group from Florida.  Donny Osmond plays the dad.  And to put this as simply as possible, Donny steals every big laugh from Martin Lawrence.  With his wide mouth, toothy grin; Donny comes across as super loving dad from hell.  He gives it his all in every scene, wither it is singing show tunes with his daughter or taking payment in hugs.  Every giant laugh was in his corner.

Of course we get all the cliches with a road trip, including a malfunctioning car and stowaways.  There is giant comic set piece with a wedding and a wedding crashing pig.  Younger brother has taught the family pig to play chess.  And of course, singing, singing and more singing.

Raven-Symone has been in front of the camera all of her life, mostly in comedies.  She does the double take with the flair of an old pro.  But she also knows when to hold back and let others in the spotlight.  As a strong young black woman, she should have a very long career in the movies. 

Martin Lawrence is taking the Eddie Murphy track of doing the family film.  This could be a good move in this point of his career.  He had made a bunch of over the top comedies that relied more on being vulgar than on being clever.  There is a large audience for family faire and he could tap into that group.  This could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

Director Roger Kumble doesn’t do much more than set up the camera and let his cast take off with the material written by a slew of typewriter jockeys.  There is never a sense of grand style over the proceedings.  He just shoots with an amicable style. 

College Road Trip isn’t a great movie but I’m recommending it because it is a family film.  In a world where Mom and Dad are afraid of taking the kiddies to the show, this is one with little trepidation.

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