PARAMOUNT
While no classic, Will Ferrell & Mark Wahlberg's buddy-cop comedy, The Other Guys, was a pleasant surprise. The two played off each other quite well, Wahlberg in particular showing he could be pretty damn funny when required. So it's understandable for one to expect more of the same from the two reteaming in Daddy's Home. However, this one turns out to be an unpleasant surprise.
Farrell is Brad, a nebbish sort who’s the stepfather to his wife’s two kids, who of course don’t like him at first, despite his attempts to bond with them. Just when he starts to earn their respect and trust, their devil-may-care real father, Dusty (Wahlberg), insinuates himself back into their lives. Dusty is everything Brad isn’t...an ultra-cool, Harley-riding tough guy everybody loves because he succeeds at everything he attempts. Most of the film has these two competing for the kids’ affection, with predictable results: Dusty does everything right, Brad fails miserably, making an ass of himself in the process.
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| "I'll make you a deal, Will...you stop bringing up The Happening, and I'll refrain from beating your ass." |
An amusing film could be made from this concept, but unfortunately, Daddy’s Home aims for cheap laughs with gags that continue long after they’ve gone flat, idiotic slapstick with bad CGI and a few obnoxious (totally unbelievable) secondary characters who serve no narrative purpose. Ferrell and Wahlberg are certainly game, but this time they are betrayed by a lazy script which has them merely playing extensions of their own images. Ferrell can do the whole embarrassing buffoon schtick in his sleep, and we don’t need to see Wahlberg once-again play the coolest guy on the screen. Personally, I think it would have been far funnier if their roles were reversed.
The entire debacle is - almost - saved by the final act, which may be somewhat predictable, but at-least earns some big laughs and manages a few heartwarming moments. Until then though, Daddy’s Home is a massively disappointing reteaming of two actors who deserved better.
BONUS FEATURES:
- Numerous featurettes, most of which have various cast and crew members either summarizing the plot or discussing how much fun it was to make (which I don't doubt).
- Deleted/Extended Scenes
- DVD & Digital Copies
KITTY CONSENSUS:
MEH...
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