Taking one’s kids to survey a potential college can arouse all kinds of emotions in both parents and their teens. Screenwriters Glenn German and Adam Rodgers (who also directs) use this premise to create an amusing and thought-provoking story in At Middleton. That story, actually born from Rodgers own experience with his father, is delightful and well delivered by cast members Vera Farmiga, Andy Garcia, Taissa Farmiga and Spencer Lofranco.

Mother Edith (Vera Farmiga) is driving her daughter Audrey (Taissa Farmiga) to check out Middleton College. While Edith isn’t so sure about the school, or more importantly ready to have her daughter out on her own -- Audrey is ready for both. She already knows this is the school for her because that’s where Dr. Roland Emerson (Tom Skeritt) works as a professor, and she adores his book and work.

Meanwhile, George (Garcia), a cardiologist, and his son Conrad (Lofranco) are also making their way to Middleton. George thinks it’s a fine college and insists Conrad put on his necktie before they arrive at the school. Conrad seems barely interested in doing either.

All arrivals join in a group to be shown the school’s attributes, and as guide Justin (Nicholas Braun) sometimes points out -- the shortcomings -- of the school. Edith and George get off to a bad start in the parking lot, but when they realize they do not want to follow their children around the school, take off on their own.

Because Edith has a very light side to her personality, she soon has George pulling stunts he might have done while in school such as “borrowing” someone’s bike to ride around the campus, sneaking with her up to the tower where the view is terrific but makes the guy – who’s afraid of heights -- resist looking.

George and Edith are soon in tune with each other, playing off one another’s humor and seeing which one can get the other into a predicament that would get a real student expelled for sure. They crash a drama class where the teacher insists they take the stage, get high on pot with a few students (the film would have survived just fine without this element), and have so much fun they deliberately refuse to answer their children’s phone calls.

Among all the laughs – and there are plenty in this film – the bottom line involves a love story happening in just one day. Although both Edith and George are married to other people, they make a connection that stirs them to their core and opens up a million questions. Not only have they each found the school highly attractive, but each other as well.

Farmiga appears perfectly cast as the adorable, risk-taking and full-of-life Edith. She charms the more placid George into all sorts of things he might have done as a student on campus. Eventually he can’t take his eyes off of her and runs behind her through the school as if they were the only ones there. Garcia, usually playing more serious roles, transforms the docile doctor into a man longing for some frivolity in his life. Both Taissa (Vera’s younger sister) and Lofranco carry out their roles well.

German and Rodgers’ totally entertaining script does a great switcheroo by the end of the movie when Audrey and Conrad have made completely opposite decisions about attending Middleton. George and Edith know they have experienced a day they will never have again, unless…..!

(Released by Anchor Bay Films and rated “R” for drug use and brief sexuality.)

Review also posted at www.reviewexpress.com.