Today I went to see the new Sandler, James, Rock, Spade and Schneider comedy Grown-ups. That is a lot of comedic talent to pack into one movies and the first thing I noticed was that some comics had more screen time and laughs than others.
The film is the story of five boys who were on a championship middle school basketball team 30 years ago. They are reunited when their beloved coach dies and they come together for his funeral.
Adam Sandler is the center of the film as the boy that grew up and made it big. he is now a powerful Hollywood agent and has everything that goes with the job and a life in Beverly Hills. He is somewhat ashamed of the wealth his success has given him and what it is doing to his children. It is unique to see Sandler playing an adult role where he is not the man-child acting out, but it really works for him.
Kevin James is the family man that seems slightly overwhelmed ate being a father, when he is still a big kid himself. Chris Rock is a man who has become hen-pecked by both his wife and his mother in law. James Spade is the group member who hasn't grown up yet and whose life consist of getting drunk and getting women, in that order. And Rob Schneider is a new age mystic who sees deep meaning in everything and is married to a woman twice his age. Schneider gets many of the biggest laughs in the film while Chris Rock seems to have the least opportunity to be funny.
The comedy comes from these five men and their families reuniting for a weekend. They almost immediately revert back to the roles and behaviors they had when they were twelve years old. They are able supported by a female cast headed by Salma Hyack and Maria Bello.
The film works best when it plays up the comedy inherent in family situations and worse when it goes for unrealistic over the top jokes. The five comedians supply a nice sense of warmth as if they all really have been friends since 8th grade.
If you don't have a cabin by the lake this summer than take some time to join this motley crew at theirs.
At the Movie House rating **1/2stars
2 comments:
Mr Moviehouse
I would not havbe ot see this movie and I can tell you it should get no more than two stars...you are too liberal in your ratings...It seems just because a movie is made and you give it two stars...there ar eplenty of one star movies and quite a few in those you have reviewed...To say this movie is one notch off a great movie is preposterous...a three is a very good movie with flaws...I am sure Grown ups does not meet that criteria...A movie should not get three stars or even two simply because you were entertianed for 2 hours no matter what the level of entertainment...Why do you never respond to my comments??
Thanks for the comment. I meant to mark the movie as 2 1/2stars and add a 1/2 star if you are a big fan of these 5 guys.
Here is how my rating system works.
**** Great movie, see it in a theatre. Classic
***1/2 excellent movie
*** very good
** 1/2 good, enjoyable, fun,
** fair, nothing special, if material interest you see it.
*1/2 stars poor
* bad
0 stars - bad awful dreck
Post a Comment