What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedWe're the Millers
Rawson Marshall Thurber · Film · 2013
If you loved We're the Millers, start with Weeds (Jenji Kohan, 2005) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 3 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to We're the Millers across media.
If you loved the chaotic, high-stakes absurdity of We're the Millers, you will appreciate these stories of improvised schemes and dysfunctional dynamics.
Books on the same thread
The Scared Stiff
Donald E. Westlake · Book · 2013
Explores: Insurance Fraud, Faked Death, Financial Desperation.
Much like the desperate planning in We're the Millers, this story centers on a couple whose elaborate insurance scam forces them into a high-stakes, precarious situation that quickly spirals.
We Were Liars
E. Lockhart · Book · 2021
Explores: Unreliable Narrator, Memory Loss, Family Trauma.
If the family secrets in We're the Millers kept you watching, this novel pulls you into a similarly tense atmosphere where family identity is built upon deep-seated, complex deception.
Emil and the Detectives
Erich Kästner · Book · 1930
Explores: Justice, Resourcefulness, Friendship.
The resourceful, underdog energy seen in the makeshift group from We're the Millers is mirrored here as a determined protagonist takes matters into his own hands to reclaim his property.
Millennium
Stieg Larsson, David Lagercrantz · Book · 2005
Explores: Corruption, Journalism, Misogyny.
While darker in tone than We're the Millers, the thrill of an unlikely duo teaming up to expose corruption provides a similar satisfaction of seeing outsiders navigate dangerous criminal worlds.
Series on the same thread
Weeds
Jenji Kohan · Series · 2005
Explores: Single Motherhood, Moral Ambiguity, Criminal Enterprise.
This series captures the same suburban criminality found in We're the Millers, focusing on a parent who is forced to enter the drug trade to keep their family afloat.
Narcos: Mexico
Doug Miro · Series · 2018
Explores: Drug Trafficking, Mexican Cartels, DEA Operations.
The dangerous cross-border stakes that drive the plot of We're the Millers are explored here with gritty realism, highlighting the volatile world of international drug trafficking and law enforcement.
Arrested Development
Mitchell Hurwitz · Series · 2003
Explores: Dysfunctional Family, Wealth and Privilege, Family Business.
This show shares the hilariously dysfunctional family dynamic that defined We're the Millers, showcasing a group of people who are forced to rely on each other despite constant chaos.
Podcasts on the same thread
Small Town Murder
James Pietragallo, Jimmie Whisman · Podcast · 2026
Explores: provincial life, tragic irony, forensic breakdown.
If the comedic commentary on crime in We're the Millers appealed to you, you will enjoy this blend of dark humor and investigative deep dives into strange, real-world tragedies.
Crime in Sports
James Pietragallo, Jimmie Whisman · Podcast · 2026
Explores: athlete misconduct, legal absurdity, scandalous behavior.
This podcast mirrors the irreverent comedic lens applied to criminal activity in We're the Millers, finding the inherent humor in the absurd legal troubles of public figures.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is We're the Millers based on a true story?
No, We're the Millers is not based on a true story. It is a 2013 fictional comedy directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber about a veteran pot dealer who creates a fake family to smuggle a large shipment of drugs into the United States from Mexico.
What is the premise of the movie We're the Millers?
The plot of We're the Millers follows a veteran pot dealer who orchestrates a plan to transport a massive shipment of marijuana across the border. He creates a fake family to act as a cover for his illegal activities while traveling from Mexico into the United States.
Who directed the film We're the Millers?
We're the Millers was directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber. The 2013 film focuses on a veteran pot dealer who constructs a fake family to help him successfully move a large shipment of marijuana from Mexico into the United States as part of his illicit business plan.
What is the main conflict in We're the Millers?
The main conflict in We're the Millers involves a veteran pot dealer who must successfully smuggle a huge shipment of weed into the United States from Mexico. To accomplish this, he creates a fake family to serve as a cover for his dangerous cross-border transportation plan.