Adam Sandler and company returns with his sequel, Grown Ups 2, a follow up to his 2010 blockbuster Grown Ups.
The film brings back the whole gang (minus Rob Schneider) Kevin James, Chris Rock, Salma Hayek, David Spade, Tim Meadows and more. Its three years later and Lenny and his group of immature middle-aged dads are all back living in their home town and dealing with family life.
In the first film we followed each of the friends and how they came back together after their high school coach passed away. The friends all rekindle their friendships up at the old lake house with some very funny scenes. Well this movie doesn’t have too many strong family values like the first film. Instead it’s much more slapstick filled with comedy antics, and pranks the keeps you laughing. Grown Ups 2 is very reminiscent of earlier Sandler movies from the late 90’s such as; The Waterboy (1998), Big Daddy (1999), Little Nicky (2000). Adam Sandler takes elements from that era, but isn’t as successful with the set ups and punch lines. However, Kevin James, Chris Rock and David Spade are such strong comedic actors they are able to save the films hilarity and pace. To be honest this film seems to target the teenage boy to mid forty year old man. Although the film has mixed reviews when walking out of the theater, I personally could not stop laughing. I had no expectations and came out happy. This film is unlike the original Grown Ups, but compared to Sandler’s 2011 Jack and Jill train wreck this movie keeps you laughing.
In this film Lenny and his family are much happier, the kids are playing outside and not the little jerks like they were in the first. His wife Roxanne Chase-Feder (Salma Hayek) is no longer a snob. In this film Lenny must contend with the news that his wife (Hayek) wants to have a fourth child. While Eric (Kevin James) unaccountably, must keep his wife Sally (Maria Bello) in the dark about how much time he spends keeping his elderly mother company. Kurt McKenzie (Chris Rock) and his wife Deanne (Maya Rudolph) are dealing with two teenagers and a new baby boy. And replacing Rob Schneider storyline is Marcus (David Spades) who finds out that he has a son that he never knew. Marcus must make peace with the thuggish son. Overall, the movie is a day in the life a bunch of friends and their daily antics. The only stand out moral in the movie is how to stand up from being bullied as a child, like most of Sandler’s film. The underdog always succeeds and gets the pretty women. The is film starts on the last day of school, Grown Ups 2 follows Lenny commandeers his kids’ bus driver, played by Nick Swardson, who is high on drugs throughout the film
As for the weak link of the film, that would go to Taylor Lautner and his band of misfit Fraternity boys. It was too over the top and ridiculous. Although we get the point that Sandler was trying to make about Fraternity life. Personally I felt he was off, being a Fraternity Alum myself. I thought the secret handshake part was hilarious, but making them a bunch of mindless muscled out idiots was not funny in the slightest. Luckily that only takes up 5 minutes of screen time.
Like we said before, this film is filled with gags, one liners and slapstick style comedy like his earlier Happy Madison films. Grown Ups 2 marks the first sequel for Adam Sandler, so we have our fingers crossed that it does well. Overall the movie is just summer fun, it’s not meant for anything more than to make you laugh. Yes it may have lost some of the golden moments of the first, but it’s a great weekend film to go out and bring the kids. The jokes are simple, the setting is basic and the comedy is for all ages, so grab a bucket of popcorn and a couple sodas and you’re off to the movies for some laughs with Grown Ups 2.
FYI: This is great bonding flick for a father and his son or a Big Brother and little brother type of movie.
Grown Ups 2 Film Credits:
Production Company: Happy Madison
Cast: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, Salma Hayek, David Spade, Maya Rudolph, Maria Bello
Director: Dennis Dugan
Screenwriters: Fred Wolf, Adam Sandler, Tim Herlihy
Producers: Jack Giarraputo, Adam Sandler
Director of photography: Theo van de Sande
Production designer: Aaron Osborne
Music: Rupert Gregson-Williams
Costume designer: Ellen Lutter
Editor: Tom Costain
PG-13, 100 minutes
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