College Road Trip facts for kids

Quick facts for kids College Road Trip
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Roger Kumble
Produced by	Andrew Gunn
Written by	Emi Mochizuki Carrie Evans Cinco Paul Ken Daurio
Starring	Martin Lawrence Raven Symone Donny Osmond
Music by	Edward Shearmur
Cinematography	Theo van de Sande
Editing by	Roger Bondelli
Studio	Walt Disney Pictures Gunn Films Head Gear Films
Distributed by	Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release date(s)	March 7, 2008 (2008-03-07)
Running time	83 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$25 million
Money made	$51.5 million

College Road Trip is a 2008 American family comedy film directed by Roger Kumble and starring Martin Lawrence, Raven-Symoné, Brenda Song, Margo Harshman, and Donny Osmond. The film centers on college-bound teen Melanie Porter (Raven-Symoné), who goes on a road trip to different universities with her family, including her overprotective father. The film was released by Walt Disney Pictures in the United States on March 7, 2008. The film garnered negative reviews from critics.

Plot

Melanie Porter, a 17-year-old college-bound girl, is preparing to graduate from high school and wants to go to Georgetown University. However, her father James Porter, the chief of police in the quiet Chicago suburb where they live, is overprotective of his family, including Melanie, and is not ready for her to leave and study so far away from home. James has other plans for Melanie; he wants her to go to Northwestern University which is only 28 minutes away from home. James also disagrees with his real estate agent wife Michelle, the family pig Albert, who continuously annoys him, and his young son Trey, who spends much time with the pig. Melanie is invited to an interview at Georgetown after a college recruiter sees her performance at a mock trial. Her two best friends, Nancy and Katie, offer to take her on their road trip to Pittsburgh, Melanie is set to go with her friends until her father surprises her with his own road trip to Washington, D.C.

On their way, Melanie reluctantly visits Northwestern to take a tour. They meet an almost-too-happy father and daughter duo, Doug and Wendy, who are on their own road trip. James has planted actors at Northwestern, one screaming at Melanie they lost an eye at Georgetown. Melanie almost falls for it until one of the actors says to her "Yeah, the chief's a pretty smart guy", since he never met James.

The Porters' car soon breaks down, and they find Trey in the trunk with Albert. They stop at a hotel (thanks to Albert's navigating), but Albert eats coffee beans and becomes hyperactive, leading to him crashing and ruining a wedding. They run into Doug and Wendy again, who offer James and Melanie a ride since James' car broke down. Later, Melanie and her father ride on a tour bus where they try to work out their differences. At one destination, Nancy and Katie show up and take Melanie to a sorority house. James, due to a misunderstanding, and the owner not letting him in to check on her, sneaks into the house. After hearing that his daughter has faith in him, he decides to leave the next morning. Unfortunately, after Melanie leaves, he gets caught by the owner, brutally tased, and arrested. James' mother comes to bail him out, and opens up about her own past fears when her son went to the Army, but still believed in her son to go his own path. James and Melanie end up forgiving each other at the airport. After dropping off Trey, they skydive to make the interview at Georgetown.

Cast

• Martin Lawrence as Chief James Porter, an Army veteran and police chief of a small Illinois suburb. He is very overprotective of his family, but finally lets go of Melanie and allows her to live her life.
• Raven Symoné as Melanie Porter, James' daughter and a very bright young girl with aspirations to get into Georgetown.
• Eshaya Draper as Trey Porter, James' son. He is very intellectually gifted beyond his age. He stows away on the trip with the family pig, Albert.
• Donny Osmond as Doug Greenhut, an overly-energetic man who is taking his equally energetic daughter on a road trip. He stops to help James and Melanie when their car breaks down and initially freaks James out. However, in the end it is shown the families are friends as they are celebrating Thanksgiving together.
• Molly Ephraim as Wendy Greenhut, an energetic and chipper young woman who is on a college tour with her father and ends up befriending the Porters. At the end of the film she is engaged to Scooter.
• Kym Whitley as Michelle Porter, James' wife and Melanie's mother
• Brenda Song as Nancy Carter, one of Melanie’s friends
• Margo Harshman as Katie, one of Melanie’s friends
• Arnetia Walker as Grandma Porter, James' mother
• Vincent Pastore as Freddy
• Lucas Grabeel as Scooter, a member of Melanie's graduating class and her intellectual rival. He behaves exactly like Doug and even gets engaged to his daughter in the end.
• Benjamin Patterson as Tracy
• Will Sasso as Deputy O'Mally, one of James' co-workers on the police force
• Geneva Carr as Mrs. O'Mally, Deputy O'Mally's pregnant wife
• Josh Meyers as Deputy Stuart, one of James' co-workers on the police force
• Julia Frisoli as Mrs. Greenhut, Doug's wife and Wendy's mother
• Michael Landes as Donny
• Kristian Kordula as Nick
• Joseph R. Gannascoli as Mr. Arcarra
• Kelly Coffield Park as Sorority House Mother
• Brianna Shea Russo as Ally

Promotion

To promote the movie in the United States, Raven-Symoné appeared on WWE WrestleMania XXIV, Chelsea Lately, MTV's TRL, Live with Regis and Kelly, The View, BET's 106 & Park and The Oprah Winfrey Show. The theme song of the movie was "Double Dutch Bus", sung by Raven-Symoné. The music video for the song appeared on Disney Channel and was included in her self-titled album. The music video included scenes from the movie. Disney Channel TV spots were aired promoting the film in the United States.

The first trailer appeared alongside Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium and Enchanted.

The film did not receive a cinema release in Australia. Although promotions for the film aired on Disney Channel Australia, a confirmed date for the movie to begin screening in theatres was never given. The film was released direct-to-DVD instead.

Book

In May 2008, Disney Press released a book based on the movie written by Alice Alfonsi. The novel has the printed original movie poster as the cover.

Awards and nominations

Images for kids

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  Scene for College Road Trip being filmed in Stamford, Connecticut

See also

In Spanish: College Road Trip para niños