NEW YORK -- A genial family comedy well-timed to capitalize on the rising popularity of comedian Cedric the Entertainer, "Johnson Family Vacation" is a distinct if more genteel throwback to National Lampoon's popular 1980s "Vacation" series starring Chevy Chase. Mild in both humor and impact, this well-cast comedy should provide welcome diversion during the holidays for audiences looking for a somewhat lighter experience than the crucifixion of Christ or the massacre at the Alamo. The rudimentary plot by first-time screenwriters Todd R. Jones and Earl Richey Jones has the Johnson family piling into their loaner Lincoln Navigator -- at times the film plays like a feature-length car commercial -- on a road trip from California to Missouri for a family reunion.

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