Nonstop Movies: ‘Grown Ups 2’

Is “Grown Ups 2” really an Adam Sandler movie? Let’s go through the Sandler movie checklist.

Pee jokes – check. Poo jokes – check. Fart jokes – check. Jokes about other various bodily functions – check. Boob jokes – check. Hot wife/girlfriend for Sandler – check. Friends of Sandler who only appear in Sandler movies – check. Obscure Saturday Night Live alums – check. Rob Schneider – che….oh wait. He’s not in this one.

But despite the mysterious absence of Rob Schneider, “Grown Ups 2” is your typical Adam Sandler movie. What is it with Sandler these days? It’s as if he’s running some sort of elaborate scam where he convinces movie studios to pay for summer vacations for him and his buddies. All they have to do is bring along cameras, then make a movie out of their adventures. “Just Go With It” – free trip to Hawaii. “Grown Ups” – free vacation by the lake. “Jack and Jill” – free ocean cruise. It appears he and his friends had such a good time filming (and partying) during the original “Grown Ups” that they decided to return for a sequel.

And this sequel is totally pointless and unnecessary. In fact, there isn’t even a story to this one. The entire movie takes place over one day, but there is no plot development whatsoever. Each of the main characters, even the children, are given a storyline, but there is absolutely no resolution to any of them. They’re just tools for setting up jokes.

But at least the jokes do work. Well, some of the time. Even with the comedic all-star cast of the first “Grown Ups,” I found the film to be surprisingly tame and even boring. The jokes in “Grown Ups 2” are an improvement over the first film, but unfortunately that’s not saying much. It’s quite a disappointment when Taylor Lautner and Milo Ventimiglia as two obnoxious frat boys are funnier than the four main actors. Former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal also appears in some of the funnier scenes.

“Grown Ups 2” did make me chuckle a few times and is an improvement over the original film as well as Sandler’s other recent works, but it’s a lazy film that barely tries to make you laugh. See it if you’re a hard core Adam Sandler fan only.

“Grown Ups 2,” 103 minutes, is Rated PG-13 and opens in theaters today.