Punch drunk hate---David Spade and Adam Sandler as reuniting buddies in Grown Ups 2
I'll be the first to admit it----I enjoyed the first Grown Ups for what it is. Sure...it was a bad film but it was at least pleasant to sit through. Now....the much unneeded sequel is here and it's really bad. Sure...it's not the worst film of the year so far. It's not A Haunted House or Scary Movie 5 unbearable but it's a comedy that contains only two real laughs---both of which are from Taylor Lautner. If you still want to see this film after reading that...you are part of the destruction of humanity.
The film has no real plot. It's just another excuse for Adam Sandler and his buddies to sit down and crack jokes that only they get. Like I said...at least the first one was pleasant. One of the main reasons I think that is because the chemistry between Sandler and his buddies was palpable. As much of a lazy effort or cash grab it was...you could see that everyone was having fun. Here...everyone except Sandler seems to be embarrassed and mad at themselves. I'm thinking that perhaps everyone owed Sandler a favor.
Within the first minute of the film....a deer urinates on two (2) people. Right then and there---I knew I made a mistake by spending my five dollars and 100 minutes sitting in the theater. I generally don't judge a film by the first minute. I like to give every film I see a fair chance to prove to me that it's at least slightly worth my time and money. However, when you open your film with a deer urinating on people whose mouths just hang open when the deer does so....you can't seriously expect me to not know what I'm in for.
Unfunny cameos include untalented actors such as Shaquille "I'm a great basketball player but an awful actor" O'Neal, Nick Swarsdon and Jon Lovitz. However, very talented people such as Tim Meadows, Colin Quinn and Cheri Oteri show up for completely brain dead cameos. Also...there is a car wash scene involving male cheerleaders played by the likes of Andy Samberg, Will Forte, Bobby Moynihan and Taran Killam. Are every one of these people either so desperate for money or owing so much to Sandler or director Dennis Dugan that they had to appear in this film? It's sad because they don't even try to tell many jokes outside of the poop and fart range throughout the entire overlong 100 minutes. Why wouldn't they actually try something clever with such talented actors/comedians involved? I guess director Dugan and head writers Sandler and Fred Wolf don't have it in them anymore.
I actually saw this film in a packed theater and the only laughter I ever heard was the two mild chuckles I got from Lautner. When you have Chris Rock....one of the top three funniest and smartest men in the world being out shined by Jacob from the Twilight films...you know you're in some serious trouble.
(1/2 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated PG-13 for crude and suggestive content, language and some male rear nudity)
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