A big ensemble cast lead this Christmas sequel to the popular comedy Daddy’s Home. I actually watched this film in summer as I have been waiting for a couple of years for it to come on Netflix. It was Christmassy but the cast was entertaining enough that I didn’t think anything of it. I never thought I would be someone who watches a Christmas film in August but it happened.
If you’ve seen the first film, you will be aware that the film is about a blended family. Will Ferrell is the stepfather to his wife’s children. When their father comes back on the scene, Dusty (played by Mark Wahlberg) tries to outdo his rival and attempts to get his ex-wife to leave Brad (Ferrell) and win back his children. The film ends with the two dads getting along and Dusty finding a new girlfriend and stepdaughter.
In Daddy’s Home 2, the dads of both Brad and Dusty come to stay as the whole family go away to a cabin for the holidays. Brad’s father, Don (John Lithgow) and Dusty’s father, Kurt (Mel Gibson) are very similar to their sons. Don is a softy and someone in touch with their feelings whereas Kurt is a loner and very alpha male type. They passed on their issues to their sons.
With Brad and Sara’s (Linda Cardellini) new baby and the dad’s and now grandfather’s all competing for best parent, the film is full of slapstick and dad jokes. With an A-list cast of great comedic actors mixed in with family Christmas fun, I really enjoyed this film and will be watching it again this holiday season.
It was interesting to see Mel Gibson and John Lithgow do comedy as they normally take on more dramatic roles but I think they pulled it off. John Cena also stars as the father of Dusty’s stepdaughter. As someone quite new to acting compared to the others, Cena held his own and he manages comedy well enough. I thought that the finale was quite heart-warming. Overall, I give this film 4/5.