Title – Grown Ups 2 (2013)
Director – Dennis Dugan (That’s My Boy)
Cast – Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, Salma Hayek, Maya Rudolph, Maria Bello, Nick Swardson, Shaq, Taylor Lautner, Steve Buscemi
Plot – After moving his family back to his home town, Lenny (Sandler) is learning to deal with new issues as a parent all the while spending time with his best friends and planning for a wild party celebration that could come unstuck thanks to some crazed college students led by frat boy Andy (Lautner).
“Look at this! Beers on ice, hot ladies everywhere, this is how we used to do it”
Review by Eddie on 17/02/2014
I asked myself a couple of questions around 15 minutes into Grown Ups 2, Denis Duigan’s Adam Sandler starring opus on life, love and the importance of family. The first question I asked myself internally was “Why am I watching Grown Ups 2?” the second question and much more harder to answer was “Why am I finding this movie funny?”. It’s a truly scary question that one can ask themselves when what they are admitting to is willingly laughing at a film that has been universally panned by anyone over the age of 10 and a film that on face value is nothing more an excuse for a bunch of Happy Madison alumni’s getting together and getting paid to be immature. How wrong they all were.
Grown Ups 2 is a touching and life affirming tale that shows us all that we need not care about working our daily jobs, just take the day off and wonder around town with your best friends and talk about high school and the good old days of partying and womanising and consequently running into Shaq. It’s a realistic and brave decision by Duigan to not back away from the message and tell a tale that despite not knowing it we all needed to hear. Much can be taken away from what our hero’s led by Sandler as rich family man Lenny Feder experience in their journey from overcoming past traumas by jumping naked of a cliff, fighting back urges experienced from watching attractive school dance teachers or getting your car washed at a College hand wash.
The cast are all back after their ground-breaking and industry changing work on the first film and all acquit themselves well to the material, with Sandler in particular stretching himself with his return as the rich family man, James as the mummy’s boy fat man, Spade as a womanising jobless trailer trash lost cause and Rock as a loud mouth Black man who cracks hilarious jokes that are not 10 years too late. A supporting cast featuring future Oscar nominee Taylor Lautner and a not slumming it in the slightest Steve Buscemi also add great depth and heart to a script which asks the hard questions and goes for the non-signposted joke at any available chance.
Now dear readers as I asked myself the hard questions upon watching this film I now ask one of you – “Did you believe any of what you just read?”. If you answered yes then shame on you, for what Grown Ups 2 is is a film that does not in any way shape or form try and be better than it should be. Jokes and effort are always aimed at the lowest common denominator and for all seriousness no one from actors through to director cares for they know they will be making money and undoubtedly enjoying their time doing it. I truthfully did find myself against all the good in the world enjoying moments in the film upon the opening 30 minutes but all goodness was quickly drained with a movie story that has to be one of the lamest ever committed to celluloid. If you’re looking to turn off your brain, your heart and all sense for the greater good Grown Ups 2 is first up on that given night but in the end is another sad and sorry step in the career of all involved and proof that Lautner could do worse than his turn as Jacob Black. Oh the humanity!
1 and a half “burp snarts” out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys) 
Good review Eddie. The first one was pretty bad, but gosh, this was seriously worse. Can’t believe I actually subjected myself to this shit, but I guess curiosity killed the cat on this one, as well as my numerous brain-cells.
I think you’d still have more brain cells left than the cast put together although they are the rich ones ha.
Eddie
hahah great subversive post man. I almost had a heart attack reading the first few paragraphs.
Glad I sucked you in man 🙂
Eddie
For a moment, you actually had me questioning my non-existent desire to see this film Eddie. Shame on me! Though, i guess it’s better to be fickle than a Grown Ups 2 lover, right?
Great, fun review!
Cheers Consumed, I really thought I was going to enjoy it for a bit there but then it showed its true colors.
Eddie
As I said on another blog(Dan’s?), why bother? It’s like shooting fish in a barrel. You can’t really call these types of films among the worst of the year, because they aren’t really even trying. High profile crap like “Labor Day” and “Saving Mr. Banks” deserves the vitriol more. ML
Agreed Mr. L although some people have fallen for Saving Mr. Banks.
Eddie
That’s just my point, Eddie. People fall for the flashback-laden, Disney-endorsed claptrap sentimentality of “Saving Mr. Banks”, and then also join the legion of deriders of obvious crap like “Grown Ups 2”. “Banks” deserves the pans more…because it should know, and be, better. ML
Your making me want to see it now mate, I know right where you are coming from.
Eddie
I had this to review, I mean I literally had the disc in my hands and I just…I just couldn’t bring myself to watch it. Almost autonomically I popped it back into the envelope and sent it back unwatched. Your review makes me feel a whole lot better!
Ha man that is great’ ghosts of good movies past stopping you from experiencing this one.
Eddie
They made a Grown Ups 2?! This movie exists?!
Proof that there really is a dark master after all, and to think this movie made over 100 million at the US box office.
Eddie
Guys! Can you contact me via my Contact form on my website? I am writing this film article and I would like to get a couple of quotes from you if possible. Thanks!!
Will do Virginia happy to help out where we can.
Eddie
I haven’t even been able to face Grown Ups… pretty sure Grown Ups 2 is never going to be for me!
Surely the sight of Kevin James topless is enough to make you want to watch 🙂 ha
Eddie
I just vommed in my mouth a little.
Don’t worry that is the usual reaction to the thought I am sure 🙂
Eddie
Hahaha, loved your second question to yourself because I can totally relate. This was a horrid movie, BUT, I found myself laughing harder at a couple of scenes than I did at the first movie, which was better but only slightly.
Same Gene, I was pretty ashamed they got a few laughs from me but dumb humour can be ok in some forms.
Eddie
haha I loved this movie. It is easily something… Er, well it isn’t a movie but it sure was silly enough to have fun watching it
Glad you had fun mate, I did enjoy the opening 30 minutes or so but sadly they lost all charm pretty soon after it.
Eddie
Loved the review! The twist was better than most M. Night Shyamalan movies.
Cheers Critical, if we were talking just about the Sixth Sense we would be talking genius stuff but I am going to say I am more The Happening.
Eddie
Reblogged this on The TV Media Junkie ReBlog Blog.
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