Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- None
- bawdy
- witty
- broad
- road trip movie night
- adult comedy night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film's broad performances and pleasant cast unable to overcome a clichéd, tepid screenplay, weak satire, and low-energy direction.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Roy, Candy, Lonnie Earl, and Darlene travel together in an SUV toward a monster truck show in Reno.
The critical reception specifically identifies the film's stereotypes of small-town blue-collar speech, behavior, and tastes.
Lonnie Earl's attraction to Candy becomes visible during the couples' vacation and destabilizes both marriages.
The plot escalates through teary confessions, screaming bouts, and conventional dialogue-driven resolutions.
Films like Waking Up in Reno, and why
The Mexican
road comedy, blue-collar Americana, marital friction, and broad ensemble humor
The Ice Storm
adult romantic comedy built around infidelity, relationship tensions, and comic misunderstandings
Flirting with Disaster
road-trip comedy with mismatched couples, sexual complications, and heightened character humor
The Opposite of Sex
working-class romantic farce with broad performances and relationship conflict
Movie Details
- Director
- Jordan Brady
- Release Date
- 2002-12-13
- Runtime
- 91 min
- Rating
- 5.0 / 10 (111)
Cast
- Natasha Richardson
- Charlize Theron
- Billy Bob Thornton
- Patrick Swayze
- David Koechner
- Penélope Cruz
- Holmes Osborne
- Chelcie Ross
- Cleo King
- Billy O'Sullivan
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, Paramount Plus Essential
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Waking Up in Reno about?
- Two married couples chase a carefree Reno vacation until a hidden attraction turns their road trip into a broad, combustible relationship farce.
- What is Waking Up in Reno like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Waking Up in Reno as measured, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Waking Up in Reno violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Waking Up in Reno.
- What did critics think of Waking Up in Reno?
- Critics broadly found the film's broad performances and pleasant cast unable to overcome a clichéd, tepid screenplay, weak satire, and low-energy direction.
- Which films are like Waking Up in Reno?
- Films with a similar feel include The Mexican, The Ice Storm, Flirting with Disaster, and The Opposite of Sex.
- How long is Waking Up in Reno?
- Waking Up in Reno runs 91 minutes.
- Where can I watch Waking Up in Reno?
- In United States, Waking Up in Reno streams on fuboTV, Paramount Plus Essential.
