'DADDY'S HOME 2': Four Stars (Out of Five)
A sequel to the 2015 hit comedy starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, as two rival fathers competing for the same children's love. In this follow-up they're now friends, and they have to deal with their own fathers visiting for the holidays, who are also complete opposites as well of course. Mel Gibson and John Lithgow join the cast, as the elder dads, while Linda Cardellini and John Cena also reprise their roles from the original movie. The film was once again directed by Sean Anders, and it was written by Anders and John Morris (the same duo also co-wrote the original, as well as 'HOT TUB TIME MACHINE', 'SEX DRIVE', 'SHE'S OUT OF MY LEAGUE', 'WE'RE THE MILLERS', 'HORRIBLE BOSSES 2', and other hit comedies). This film has received nearly unanimous negative reviews from critics, but it's done really well at the Box Office (and with viewers there). I thought it was pretty funny too actually.
Brad and Dusty (Ferrell and Wahlberg) now get along perfectly, and our doing a really effective job co-parenting their kids together. Then both of their fathers, Kurt (Gibson) and Don (Lithgow), decide to visit them for the holidays. Kurt is extremely egotistical, obsessively masculine, and a bit of a sexist asshole. Don is really sweet, kind and friendly. More family drama occurs because of their visit, which causes conflict between Brad and Dusty again as well. Especially when Brad invites the biological father (Cena) of Dusty's stepdaughter over.
The movie is frequently very funny. It definitely has some bad jokes in it too, and it's a pretty routine family Christmas comedy, but it's still mostly funny. Adding Gibson to the cast, as the womanizing chauvinistic pig, was brilliant casting in my opinion as well, and he's hilarious in the role. Lithgow is also good in his part too, and Ferrell and Wahlberg are both effective once again too. I actually enjoyed this sequel more than it's predecessor; it seems more packed with quality humor to me, at least in my opinion. It's also more fun that it's set at Christmas (in my opinion as well).
