Review: Grown Ups

Grade: B

Lenny, Eric, Kurt, Marcus and Rob were the best of friends 30 years ago when they were on the school basketball team. When their old coach, whom they affectionately call Coach Buzzard, dies, the five get together for the funeral. They then decide that they, and all their families, should spend the Fourth of July weekend together at a lake house where they all used to hang out together when they were teenagers. As they reunite they grow back together and learn a lot about each other. All their families begin to become good friends too. On top of that, they teach their kids how to have fun without all the technology out there now.

This movie was made mostly for the great ensemble cast of mostly SNL alums. Adam Sandler (Funny People, Big Daddy) plays the role of Lenny, who is now a very successful Hollywood agent. Sandler was pretty good and very funny at times. Chris Rock (Death at a funeral, Bad Company) plays the role of Kurt, who is now a “house husband”. Rock is very funny as usual at times but I feel the whole domesticated male jokes got old pretty quick. David Spade (Joe Dirt, TVs Rules of Engagement) plays the role of Marcus. Spade was very funny and entertaining, good to see him in a movie again. Rob Schneider (The Hot Chick, The Animal) plays the role of Rob, who is now a new age healer, of sorts. Schneider was really funny in this role but that’s because he does well in these supporting role types. Kevin James (Paul Blart: Mall Cop, Hitch) plays the role of Eric, who is now the co-owner of a furniture store. James was very funny with this role and they seemed to have given him most of the physical stuff. The cast also includes other great people like Salma Hayek, Maria Bello, Maya Rudolph, Joyce Van Patten, Steve Buscemi, Colin Quinn and Tim Meadows.

It is a lot of fun seeing this cast get together for a movie like this. It was very funny while being kind of sweet as well. The movie takes a little bit to get going. In the first part of the movie, the only part I really liked was the constant jokes they were all making at each other’s expense. But once they get to the lake house, things really pick up and the movie becomes this really fun and enjoyable movie. On top of the main plot of these five friends reuniting, there were a couple fun sub-plots as well. One involves Colin Quinn, Steve Buscemi and Tim Meadows playing people who hold a grudge against the gang because of a basketball game 30 years ago, so they keep challenging them to a game and the outcome is hilarious. My favorite sub-plot was about all the kids, Lenny’s in particular. It was about how kids rely too much on technology these days for entertainment, always playing video games or texting or whatever, these kids were really spoiled. It got to the point where the parents finally forced them outside and the kids had no idea how to entertain themselves. I really enjoyed this as I completely agree with it, kids these days are spoiled and don’t know how to have fun outside. One problem I had with the movie was how all the parents were constantly lying to their children, I don’t get why people do this, you are just making your kids dumb.

Anyway, this movie is a lot of fun and well worth seeing, especially if you like the cast. It was great seeing all these actors getting together for a movie like this, they are all still very funny after all these years. I recommend this movie to anybody looking for a good laugh.