Grown Ups (C or 2/4 stars)
'Grown Ups', a comedy directed by Dennis Dugan, & partly written by Adam Sandler, opens with the death of a revered junior high school basketball coach; an incident which ignites a reunion of his 5 best ballplayers from 1978's team - Lenny (Sandler), Eric (Kevin James), Kurt (Chris Rock), Marcus (David Spade), & Rob (Rob Schneider). Young & confident in junior high, this five-some won the big championship game some 30 yrs. ago. But to see these guys in 2010 - most of 'em are the antithesis of those attributes, haha. Now, Lenny, a big-time Hollywood agent, is married to fashionista Roxanne (Salma Hayek) & has 3 annoying children. Meanwhile, Eric is unemployed, & his pretty, but dim-witted wife, Sally (Maria Bello) thinks that breast-feeding their 4 yr. old is normal.
Kurt has become a 'house-husband'; consistently dominated by his nagging wife, Deanne (Maya Rudolph). Rob, having an inexplicable attraction for older women, is married to Gloria (Joyce Van Patten), a hippie in her 70's. And Marcus is the friend who never grew up: loves to party, still single - which makes his other pals envious. The action of this movie takes place when the five-some reunite for a 4th of July weekend at a lake house (and all that ensues there). Picture it: these guys, their very-different wives, their unpredictable children, no flat-screen television, complaints galore -- you couldn't pay me to attend, haha. It is at this lake house where the guys shoot the breeze, lounge, get into some trouble, laugh, cry, & realize that getting older doesn't necessarily mean 'growing up'.
There is a loose, unkempt structure to this movie that can either be a godsend or a hindrance for you as you watch. If you want to just sit back in the a.c., nosh on food, have a drink, relax, enjoy, chuckle, grimace, or flat-out laugh at these past-SNL favorites doing their thing, then I think you'll have a good time for 97 min. There are some good one-liners. I loved a running motif (a good 5 or 6 times) about a dog whose vocal chords were taken out; making it sound like a turkey when it barked. I loved the characters ripping on Rob's obvious Elvis-styled toupee. The physical/humiliation comedy is silly, sometimes mean-spirited, but we expect that from this bunch (haha). There's an improvisational feel to a lot of the humor that will warmly remind you of the SNL days of old.
I enjoyed the free, easy camaraderie btwn. these familiar faces (including a fun cameo from Steve Buscemi). But not all of the jokes work. And if you're looking for any real semblance of plot, then you'll be sorely, sorely disappointed. Because the plot is so lame, the comedian actors are given the freedom to 'act up' for us. Even a big plot point (you could call it the climax) is displayed in a very 'who cares', low-key way. Any time the plot goes soft (sentimental drivel about the importance of family, pains of growing older), it puts a BIG strain on the film. So, there you have it. Roll with the guys, or chastise the plot ... one or the other.
I've actually enjoyed Adam Sandler's last handful of films more so than his early frayed-wire antics. He's older, relaxed, & to me, funnier because of it. Kevin James takes some expected physical pratfalls for comedic effect. Chris Rock's facial expressions kill. But he's not given much in this screenplay. David Spade always makes me smile. And Rob Schnieder didn't annoy me; perhaps because a lot of laughs are at his expense. Salma Hayek & Maria Bello try their best, but you can tell they're struggling in Sandler World. Maya Rudolph felt more at home. So overall, 'Grown Ups' was a nice watch; lazy, yet comfortable. I was amused often enough. But it's not on the level of the Apatow projects. He knows how to do funny-funny AND dumb-funny better than anyone else. 'Grown Ups' is inessential for theater viewing. Save your $$, & rent it in a few months. If you like these SNL alumnis, as I do, I'm sure you'll get a mild kick out of it.
Kurt has become a 'house-husband'; consistently dominated by his nagging wife, Deanne (Maya Rudolph). Rob, having an inexplicable attraction for older women, is married to Gloria (Joyce Van Patten), a hippie in her 70's. And Marcus is the friend who never grew up: loves to party, still single - which makes his other pals envious. The action of this movie takes place when the five-some reunite for a 4th of July weekend at a lake house (and all that ensues there). Picture it: these guys, their very-different wives, their unpredictable children, no flat-screen television, complaints galore -- you couldn't pay me to attend, haha. It is at this lake house where the guys shoot the breeze, lounge, get into some trouble, laugh, cry, & realize that getting older doesn't necessarily mean 'growing up'.
There is a loose, unkempt structure to this movie that can either be a godsend or a hindrance for you as you watch. If you want to just sit back in the a.c., nosh on food, have a drink, relax, enjoy, chuckle, grimace, or flat-out laugh at these past-SNL favorites doing their thing, then I think you'll have a good time for 97 min. There are some good one-liners. I loved a running motif (a good 5 or 6 times) about a dog whose vocal chords were taken out; making it sound like a turkey when it barked. I loved the characters ripping on Rob's obvious Elvis-styled toupee. The physical/humiliation comedy is silly, sometimes mean-spirited, but we expect that from this bunch (haha). There's an improvisational feel to a lot of the humor that will warmly remind you of the SNL days of old.
I enjoyed the free, easy camaraderie btwn. these familiar faces (including a fun cameo from Steve Buscemi). But not all of the jokes work. And if you're looking for any real semblance of plot, then you'll be sorely, sorely disappointed. Because the plot is so lame, the comedian actors are given the freedom to 'act up' for us. Even a big plot point (you could call it the climax) is displayed in a very 'who cares', low-key way. Any time the plot goes soft (sentimental drivel about the importance of family, pains of growing older), it puts a BIG strain on the film. So, there you have it. Roll with the guys, or chastise the plot ... one or the other.
I've actually enjoyed Adam Sandler's last handful of films more so than his early frayed-wire antics. He's older, relaxed, & to me, funnier because of it. Kevin James takes some expected physical pratfalls for comedic effect. Chris Rock's facial expressions kill. But he's not given much in this screenplay. David Spade always makes me smile. And Rob Schnieder didn't annoy me; perhaps because a lot of laughs are at his expense. Salma Hayek & Maria Bello try their best, but you can tell they're struggling in Sandler World. Maya Rudolph felt more at home. So overall, 'Grown Ups' was a nice watch; lazy, yet comfortable. I was amused often enough. But it's not on the level of the Apatow projects. He knows how to do funny-funny AND dumb-funny better than anyone else. 'Grown Ups' is inessential for theater viewing. Save your $$, & rent it in a few months. If you like these SNL alumnis, as I do, I'm sure you'll get a mild kick out of it.