The River Wild (1994)

Buckle up your life vest and start rowing — this week, the dads brave The River Wild! We’re diving into the 1994 whitewater thriller that somehow stars both Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon (and yes, Bacon is very much in full psycho mode). It’s the family vacation from hell, complete with dangerous rapids, awkward teen energy, and way too much talk about rope knots.

We break down why this movie was a staple of every mid-90s cable channel, marvel at Meryl’s surprising action chops, and wonder how much of this was actually filmed on location (spoiler: a lot). There’s dadcore fashion, river safety tips, and a few solid arguments about whether this film is secretly a top-tier mom movie.

Is The River Wild a lost gem of 90s thrillers or just wet and forgettable? We’ve got thoughts — and a paddle.