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SYNOPSIS: Just
because you grow older doesn't mean you have to grow up! Comedy
superstars Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade
and Rob Schneider are at their hilarious and outrageous best
playing childhood friends who reunite one holiday weekend
to relive the good old days. It doesn't matter that these
five guys are now respectable businessmen, husbands and fathers.
Once they get back together, nothing is going to stop these
kids-at-heart from having the time of their adult lives. From
the people who brought you Click, comes this hilarious and
heartwarming film that proves men will be boys.
MOVIE
REVIEW:
We believe Adam Sandler and his bunch of on/off-screen friends such as Rob Schneider, Kevin James, David Spade are fun-loving and definitely a hoot to hang out with. But to translate their friendship and summer vacation antics to the big screen via "Grown Ups" is another matter altogether.
These five guys including Chris Rock, the gorgeous Salma Hayek playing the wife of Sandler’s character and respective family members in tow reunite for a weekend get together after attending their junior high basketball coach’s funeral. What follows is not exactly what we term as a decent story but a series of random gags and jokes tossed all around in this yet again Dennis Dugan’s directed Happy Madison production.
Co-written by Sandler himself, "Grown Ups" seemed like a godsend comedy product. With a cast consisting of Hollywood’s top comedians, Kevin James, Chris Rock and Sandler’s regular Schneider, this is the comedy version of "Ocean’s Eleven" without the heist sequence of course. But when these five guys finally get together after a quick intro opening, the movie descends straight into lame territory and hardly regains its notions.
Does Kevin James always have to be the victim of all fat jokes? (Remember his "Paul Blart Mall Cop") and why does Rob Schneider always have to be in some sort of awkward hairstyles or makeup? (Watch "I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry"), Sandler is always playing the cocksure, successful characters and he gets all pretty girls (He manages to nab Kate Beckinsale in "Click"). This is mainly why "Grown Ups" failed big time. The talents, comic-timing went completely wasted and everything seems to be regurgitated from past Happy Madison productions if you have been familiar with Sandler’s acts and this serves as a classic case of lazy comedy.
The jokes never went as far as creative is concerned though I did chuckled when the guys played their silly game of 'Arrow Roulette' but I sure didn’t feel the love when they did the 'peeing in the pool' gag. The jokes are mostly juvenile and most of the physical stunts seem to hurt rather than tickle. Why is Salma Hayek doing here after a long hiatus from the big screen is equally befuddling. There are some life lessons to be learnt amidst all the nonsense concocted by this group of middle-age men for diehard Sandler fans who insist on giving this a shot.
Frankly speaking, "America’s Funniest Home Videos" has more funny moments than this mess and it costs almost nothing if you are constantly tuned to our national television channel. This is not a gathering or party that deserved an invitation to be honest. And one last parting shot to Kevin James: No, putting on an empty KFC bucket on your head is not exactly that amusing.
SPECIAL FEATURES :
Laughing is Contagious – Blooper reel runs approximately 4 minutes together with a 3 minutes Gag Reel that at times funnier than the actual movie. The Cast of Grown Ups featurette is the usual making of segment that runs at a brief 7 minutes.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
It’s a happy movie and the frequent outdoor shots presented are vibrant and refined. The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is good enough for the dialogue and the numerous pop songs inserted.
MOVIE RATING:
 
DVD
RATING :
Review
by Linus Tee
Posted on 16 November 2010
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