There’s nothing new in Daddy’s Home 2, something that
works to its advantage and detriment. The comedic dynamic between stars Will
Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, the former doing his patented overgrown child
routine, the later his tough guy struggling with his emotions shtick, is still
in place as is the conflict between the blended family at the movie’s
center. That this all begins to wear a
bit thin before the predictable happy ending rolls around is no surprise. However, the addition of John Lithgow and Mel
Gibson, in a brilliant piece of casting, as the fathers of these two
man-children proves inspired, as the screen vets help carry the day, giving
this exhausted premise the boost it needs.
Everything seems to be hunky-dory between Brad (Ferrell) and
Dusty (Wahlberg). They’ve pleasantly
worked out an arrangement to co-raise Dylan (Owen Vaccaro) and Megan (Scarlett
Estevez) along with their respective wives Sara (Linda Cardenelli) and Karen
(Alessandra Ambrosio). However, when the kids mention they don’t want to have
to go back and forth between houses, the dads overreact and go into crisis mood
trying to solve this “problem.”
Meanwhile, things become more complicated when Brad and Dusty’s fathers
– Don (Lithgow) and Kurt (Gibson) – show up for the holidays, as their opposing
views of parenthood are sure to clash.
The physical gags are predictable but effective, thanks in
large part to Ferrell’s willingness to sell them and play the fool. Whether
it’s two cups of hot cocoa, a park swing set or an errant snow blower, you know
Brad will run afoul of it and to the actor’s credit, most of these moments
work. Wahlberg is carrying the heaviest
load as his character is torn between the expectations of his father and not
wanting to alienate his own stepdaughter Adrianna (Didi Costine). It’s a
thankless role but its necessary to move the plot along and the actor doesn’t
buckle under the awkward exposition he’s saddled with.
However, it’s the old pros that save the show as Lithgow and
Gibson play their version of the overbearing grandpa to the hilt. While the former handles the schmaltz, the
latter parodies his tough guy image, doling out doses of tough love at every
turn. Their conflicting styles make for
some funny scenes yet ironically their best moment occurs when their characters
agree on something – the irrefutable Dad Law that you never, NEVER turn the
thermostat past 68 degrees while everyone’s asleep. That Adrianna has the
temerity to crank it up to 85 degrees causes no end of apoplectic reactions.
No, Daddy’s Home 2 will not be mentioned in the obituary
of any those performing in it, and you’re likely to forget most of it by the
time you hit the parking lot. Yet, it’s
a harmless piece of holiday fluff that you’ll likely be able to relate to what
with all the dadness on display.
This article appears in Nov 9-15, 2017.
