I know what some of you are thinking. You saw Grown Ups 2? Yes, I did. As a family event with my cousins, we went to go see the film. I wasn't a huge fan of the first Grown Ups film. For all the talent it had, it wasn't very funny. And as we all know, Adam Sandler's films haven't been at the top of their game in recent memory. His last good film was Click, which didn't get very good reviews, but I thought it was a decent and underrated movie about the importance of not rushing through life and enjoying the little things. It has been seven years since that film was released. Over the past seven years, he's released some movies that have been bad but still funny (That's My Boy) and some that have been bad and not funny in the least bit (Jack and Jill). So like I said, I wasn't a huge fan of the first Grown Ups film. I didn't dislike it, but I was a little disappointed. Why was I disappointed? Because I know some of these guys are really funny. Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, and Kevin James have been really funny in the past. We know they're funny. But I didn't think Grown Ups was that funny. It was pleasant, and I didn't hate it. But they could have done better.
So here we are three years later and Happy Madison Productions has made a sequel to Grown Ups. The first thing I want to say about this movie is well, from a critical standpoint, this movie is bad. It's sloppy and it's a mess. It's not going to touch anyone's heart or anything like that. But in some ways, that is one of the strengths of this film. Why? Because it embraces that. Grown Ups 2 knows what it is. At one point, one of Adam Sandler's kids is saying how he can't get a girl because he's "fugly". Adam Sandler responds something along the lines of "All of us are fugly. But that doesn't matter, I mean, look at my wife. Me and her being together... that only happens in Hollywood movies." This is in reference to the beautiful Salma Hayek. While this was just a little comment that garnered a few laughs, I thought this was a semi-important line. Because it showed that Adam Sandler knows what this movie is. He knows it's an absolute joke. It's a mess, but it's an enjoyable mess.
Pretty much everyone is back from the first film, except for Rob Schneider. And he wasn't missed. But what did this movie have? Shaq. That's right, my motivation to see this film was plainly because Shaq had a role in this film. It wasn't just a cameo, he was in this movie a good amount. Shaq's a guy I've always loved as an athlete and entertainer. He's simply one of the funniest people in sports. This movie does have some funny cameos/minor characters. As you see in the commercials, Andy Samberg shows up as one of the male cheerleaders that cleans Kevin James' car. Andy Samberg made that scene. Without him, that wouldn't have been funny in the least. I wish they had left that out of the commercials, because it would have been even funnier as a surprise. Chris Berman has a cameo in this. I won't say when he shows up, but he shows up when you least expect it. Taylor Lautner is in this, and he makes fun of all frat and lax bros alike. Some former Disney Channel stars also show up. They aren't very relevant, but you look at them and are just like, wait isn't that ______ from that Disney show? I guess that's what happens after you are a Disney Channel star. You either go crazy (Miley Cyrus) or you end up as a minor character in a Happy Madison film. And yet I'm not sure which is better (kidding). Something I kinda like about the Happy Madison films is how they use a lot of the same actors in their movies. It's kind of fun when you're watching one of them, and you're like, "oh, that's one of the golfers from Happy Gilmore!" So who was my favorite of the Happy Madison regulars? While Steve Buscemi was hilarious, I gotta give this to Peter Dante, or as I like to refer to him, "the quarterback (Gee Grenouille) in The Waterboy!". Him and Shaq are the cops, and the two make a good team in this flick.
What exactly is the plot of Grown Ups 2? There really isn't one. The movie starts when Adam Sandler wakes up. At a certain point, you realize that the movie takes place over the course of a day. That's it. It's basically a day in the life of the Grown Ups. And a lot happens in this day. The main characters have all moved back to their hometown, and are hanging out all the time. David Spade has to take care of his son, that he doesn't know about. His son is a big guy that has bottled up a lot of resentment and anger, mostly towards his father. I must add that his character development is entirely disastrous.
Another gripe I have towards this movie is its excessive use of slapstick humor. When I saw the film, I realized there were a lot of children watching the movie. The entire row in front of us was filled with 7-10 year-old kids. I guess since they know this film's already a mess, they want it to be for families to see (despite its PG-13 rating). I guess kids like it when adults smash in to things and get hurt, as if they are Saturday morning cartoons. We could have used way less slapstick, and more jokes.
Is this movie hilarious? No. There will be funnier movies that come out this year or have already come out. But it is funny. But there's something about it that is just pleasant and enjoyable. You don't get bored by it. In fact, as the movie is reaching it's end, a part of you wants there to be more. Shaq is the best and the funniest in this movie. I think just about any time he was on screen I was laughing. There's also something about Adam Sandler that you just like as a guy. He seems more humble than other stars, and he just seems like a good guy that would be fun to be around. This is a fun, pleasant and enjoyable summer film. It's nothing more than that. On a scale of 1-10, I'll give Grown Ups 2 a 6. I think if a film is a six or higher, it means that it's worth watching. I say this one worth a watch. If you don't, you won't miss out on too much, but if you do watch it, don't be super critical and just have fun with it.
So, that's that. Thank you so much for checking out my movie review. As always, be sure to let me hear what you thought of Grown Ups 2. Was it better than the original? Let me hear your thoughts on my Facebook fan page or on Twitter @vellvita7. Have a great weekend!
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