College Road Trip

Stars: Martin Lawrence, Raven-Symone, Kym E Whitley, Donny Osmond, Brenda Song

Director: Roger Kumble

A truly painful Martin Lawrence vehicle that makes Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins look like a comedy classic. Over-protective father James (Lawrence), who acts nothing like the police chief he supposedly is, decides to accompany daughter Melanie (Raven-Symone) on a 300-mile trip to her new university - chosen against the close-to-home establishment that Daddy wanted.

Overly concerned for his daughter's safety, James gets into scrapes too tragic (or insignificant) to relate. Taking her cue from Lawrence, Raven-Symone shrieks, squeals, grimaces and mugs appallingly: the cute little girl from The Cosby Show has grown into an overweight 22-year-old who looks more like 32. And, from her one solo number it's impossible to tell whether she can sing or not.

There are some unfunny jokes involving the family's pet pig and the wedding he wrecks and Donny Osmond pops up as a horrendously 'nice' father Lawrence meets on the trip. Don't blame director Kumble too much: this material would defeat the best, but shooting the 'fun' head-on, as it were, is a sign of directorial desperation.

David Quinlan

USA 2008. UK Distributor: Walt Disney. Technicolor.
83 minutes. Widescreen. UK certificate: U.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 0, Violence/Horror 0, Drugs 0, Swearing 0.

Review date: 17 Aug 2008