Towards the beginning of the film, one of the children expresses at a school play how sad it makes them feel about having two Christmas's in two different homes. After the play, Dusty and Brad come up with an idea and decide to tell the kids that they will have a together Christmas. Dusty's dad, Kurt (Mel Gibson) and Brad's dad, Don (John Lithgow) arrive during the time they are planning their perfect Christmas and that's when things start to get crazy. Don is a very talkative, affectionate and emotional type of dad. Meanwhile, Kurt is very an ultra masculine, loner type of dad, who is not the greatest parent. Kurt starts to instigate and stir things up between Brad and Dusty. The question is, will they have a successful family Christmas or will it be an epic failure?
I really enjoyed this film for its humor and the new cast additions. The humor is way better than the original. I must say that Paramount upped the comedy by a lot. One of my favorite scenes in the movie is when they went to talk to Santa. That visit to Santa leads to a specific turkey hunt. I don't want to spoil it for anyone because it is very entertaining. I also enjoyed the performances by the cast. Wahlberg and Ferrell maintain their comedic chemistry like they did in the first film. The new cast members, John Lithgow and Mel Gibson are very comical and make it more entertaining with their facial expressions, sarcasms and crazy antics. The jokes are amusing because of their delivery. Lithgow and Gibson are the polar opposites and they are hilarious. Oh, and watch out for Scarlett Estevez and Owen Wilder Vacarro, those two are little scene-stealers. They each have moments where they really shine.
I must admit the movie can be a little childish and inappropriate at times. But overall it's worth the watch. After all, everyone should experience a little joy and laughter around the holidays. The message I took away from this film is that the dads in this blended family were willing to work with each other, despite their differences in parenting, for the sake of their kids so they could have a Merry Christmas together. I give this movie four out of five stars and recommend it to ages 9 to 18 as well as adults. I also recommend it to those who like family comedies. This opens Friday, November 20, 2017 in theaters nationwide so, go check it out.
Reviewed by Ryan R., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13
This film is so incredibly hilarious. The humor is quite slapstick and exaggerated, but is written so well and timed so perfectly that it is not obnoxious in the slightest. The plot is interesting to follow. The writers squeezed a lot of important and comical events into a short amount of time. However it doesn't seem rushed or forced.
Daddy's Home Two, the sequel to Daddy's Home, is directed by Sean Anders and stars Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, John Lithgow and Mel Gibson. In this film, two kids urge their mom (Linda Cardellini), their dad (Mark Wahlberg) and their step-dad (Will Ferrell) to have a "together Christmas." They all agree before Dusty and Brad find out that both their dads (John Lithgow and Mel Gibson) are spending Christmas with them. The film follows this group of people as they try to enjoy a family holiday while tensions rise between each other.
The acting is awesome throughout this film. The delivery of the jokes is so on point and it makes everything funnier than it already was. I could not keep my eyes off of the screen the entire time because this film is so much fun to watch. I had an absolute blast watching it. The holiday theme makes it a great family movie to watch during the upcoming holiday season.
The message is about family and how important it is. I give this 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 9 to 18. You should know that there are slightly adult jokes. This film opens November 10, 2017 in theaters nationwide so go check it out whether you're with friends, family or even by yourself. You will have blast.
Reviewed by Ella L., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13
The story is wonderful and heart warming. It is a real treat to see co-dads in action. Seeing this huge split family come together and thrive is beautiful. My favorite part of this movie is seeing the fantastic work done in choosing the grandfathers' roles. Watching this, you really believe that Mel Gibson is Mark Wahlberg's dad and John Lithgow is Will Ferrell's dad. They deliver such believable performances. On the other hand, John Cena's character isn't given enough character development to make a big impact. My least favorite part of this film is the ending. I can't tell you what it is because that would be a spoiler. I will say that it takes place at a Showcase Cinema and maybe it's because I was at a Showcase Cinema watching this film, but I really did not enjoy the sequence of events at the ending.
All together though, the film is well done, light hearted and funny. It brings light to a difficult subject and hopefully inspires some parents and step-parents to try a little bit harder because, in the end parenting is about the children not parents. This movie is rated PG-13 for some language and suggestive material. I feel it is appropriate for ages 10 to 18 as well as adults. I give it 5 out of 5 stars!
Reviewed by Rachael V., KIDS FIRST! Adult Juror
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