Filmology Rating: 1.5 out of 4

The holidays are a hectic time for everyone.  You need to: prepare to meet distant family members you possibly only see once a year; cook an endless amount of food to feed the children who are returning home from far off lands; and then you need to survive hearing the same stories from the in-laws every day.  If you can find sometime to escape the monstrosity that is the holiday season, you might want to see a movie; and since you are feeling overwhelmed with all of the work you are putting into the holiday season you would probably like to see a comedy to lighten your mood.  Luckily for you Daddy’s Home 2 has opened to take your mind off of the holiday struggles.   

After the battle of the stepdads in Daddy’s Home, Brad, played by Will Ferrell, and Dusty, played by Mark Wahlberg, are getting along co-raising Dusty’s kids.  The children however are growing distant to the awkwardness of having to spend the holidays at many different houses instead of spending it at one families.  The stepdads decide to do a together Christmas to help relieve some of the stress on the children, but they quickly find themselves gathering more stress when their dads show up for the holidays.  

I need to address a big issue I had with this film before getting into more of the nitty gritty: Mel Gibson.  While I gave Gibson a pass with the drama The Beaver, it’s something that I have been wrestling with regarding how it might be possible to forgive Gibson for his openly expressed racist homophobic views.  I personally try to never support the views of anyone who wishes for the suppression of any race, gender, or sexual preference as we are all special.  While I do appreciate Gibson’s earlier performances, everything he has done lately has felt like an unsympathetic apologize for his actions.  Add Daddy’s Home 2 to that ever growing list.  Gibson has never been a comedy star and he is one of the weakest links in this film.  I suggest that the studio should have cast someone with more comedic ambitions and someone who wouldn’t have soiled the reputation of the film.     

Comedies that feel like comedy sketches that are barely stitched together by a paper thin plot are the most tedious films to watch.  Personally, I rather just watch the sketch on SNL rather than devote an entire film to the premise.  While that would mean losing the amazing The Blues Brothers it would be worth it to not have yet another meandrous comedy.  Making things even more tedious for Daddy’s Home 2 is how unfunny the film is.  If you have seen the trailer for the film I must stress how that contains any inch of comedy that the film has and the rest of the running time is a complete sluggish bore.  

I cannot recall another movie that insults me for watching it.  Daddy’s Home 2 takes an interesting turn during the third act of the film in which the characters end up going to a movie theatre since they have nothing better to do.  Will Ferrell comments on how terrible and violent the latest action film looks,  yet they will end up seeing it because they love the main actor.  You cannot help but feel that Ferrell is talking about his own movies, in which the audience knows that they will be horrid but since they have an admiration for Ferrell they will show up like sheep.  I would personally have to go back to 2010 with Megamind to find a Ferrell film I was anticipating because he was the star of the film.  Someone should remind Ferrell not to bite the hand that feeds him.  Also if you take a solo trip to the theatre to escape from the disarray of the outside world, Ferrell believes that you are a deadbeat who has no ambitions with life so you end up seeing a movie by yourself.  As someone who finds going to the movies to be a therapeutic experience at times,  I suggest Ferrell look at his dwindling fan base and question his words before speaking next time, even if the words are coming from a script that he had no involvement in crafting.    

The most frustrating aspect of Daddy’s Home 2 is that the concept is good, while unoriginal.  The cast is good, but they feel like they are phoning it in.  The movie itself feels like a shallow self of the good family comedy that it could be.  If you do find yourself looking for a film to go to this holiday season to escape the frenzy that is the holiday season,  I would strongly suggest staying away from Daddy’s Home 2.  

Rating: Let It Burn

-Jonny G