When it comes to his daughter the lawman is a little overprotective, to say the least and wants to ensure his college-bound daughter, Melanie (Raven Symone), picks a university close to home for her studies, so he can keep an eye on her.

When the smart, assertive Melanie declares her intention to attend the university at Georgetown, several hundred miles away in Washington D.C., instead of the more local Northwestern college, James insistently sets out with her on a cross-country car journey to the college in Washington, hoping to dissuade her along the way.

En route, of course, plenty of hijinks ensue, including scenarios involving a precocious pig and, oddly enough, singer Donny Osmond, who turns up as a worryingly cheerful dad, who is also on a college-touring campaign.

With its loud, slapstick humour and energetic lead roles, College Road Trip is a perfect vehicle for Lawrence and Raven, who both play to their well-established personas - the former a cranky bumbler, the latter is a zany, headstrong teen.

Osmond, in his first film role in decades, perfectly embodies Ned Flanders-like enthusiasm, stealing plenty of scenes with the aid of his equally giddy on-screen offspring (Molly Ephraim).

Although far from highbrow the film, a fun, family-oriented road movie, should appeal to those who enjoy schmaltzy, zany American comedies in the style of Father of the Bride, or National Lampoon, offering many silly and appalling moments of parental embarrassment.

If however, the sight of grown adults continually contorting their facial features into cartoon like grimaces and whooping around with supposedly comical expressions, as seems all too often the norm in 'humourous' modern movies, is likely to become mildly irritating to you, it might be best to leave this as one trip your younger family members can make on their own!